


Plausible Deniability

by EmpressOfHiddenRainbows



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-06 15:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4227843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressOfHiddenRainbows/pseuds/EmpressOfHiddenRainbows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sgt. Brett Mahoney is a good cop – not just in the sense of being on the right side of the law, but also good at his job.  When he first starts noticing how injury prone Matt Murdock is, he doesn’t think much about it.  Murdock always has a plausible explanation.  However, Brett gradually starts to realize that something isn’t quite right with all these excuses and is determined to get to the bottom of things.  What will he do when he finally arrives at the unbelievable answer to the mystery?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

The street was relatively quiet for this time of the night as Sgt. Mahoney pulled his squad car over outside Fogwell’s.  He couldn’t imagine what anyone would find to steal inside the old gym, but someone had reported hearing suspicious sounds coming from inside and Mahoney had been directed to investigate. 

 

Mahoney approached the door cautiously.  He could hear what sounded like something being hit repeatedly.  It didn’t sound like a person getting hit.  If the lights had been on, he would just have assumed someone was working out late. 

 

Pulling out his flashlight, Mahoney pointed it through the grimy glass door.  He could just make out someone standing by a punching bag, hitting with well-learned precision.  For a moment, the silhouette reminded him of someone.  Someone he’d only seen a couple of times before in dark alleys. 

 

Surely it couldn’t be…

 

No.  There was no way Daredevil was calmly working out in a gym, even if it was after hours. 

 

It could explain why the lights were out though.  Should he call for backup?  If it was Daredevil, he’d most likely try to run.  As fast as the Devil moved, there was no way Mahoney would catch up with him if he went out the back.

 

The guy shifted as he worked over the bag and Mahoney relaxed as he recognized the boxer in the weak beam of the flashlight.  He was glad he hadn’t call for backup.  The guys would never let him live down needing help to take down a blind lawyer.

 

Mahoney pounded on the door.  “NYPD.  Open up.” 

 

Murdock grabbed a towel and wiped his face as he walked towards the door.  “Is there a problem, Officer?” he asked after unlocking and opening the door. 

 

“Murdock,” Mahoney said in way of greeting as he glanced around.  Not that he could see much in the dark room  “Guess that explains the lack of lights.”

 

“Sgt. Mahoney,” Murdock said with a nod of greeting.  A slight smirk played at his lips.  “Just doing my part to stay green.”

 

“Didn’t know you boxed,” Mahoney said.  He was actually rather impressed.  For a blind man, Murdock looked like he knew his way around a punching bag.  But then, his dad had been a boxer.  In fact, Mahoney was fairly sure that this was where Battlin’ Jack had trained. 

 

Murdock shrugged, the smirk becoming more pronounced.  “Just work out when time permits.  The owner’s good enough to let me come in after hours.”  He cocked his head to one side.  “Is there a problem?” he asked again.

 

“Just a passerby afraid some poor sap was getting the crap beat out of him in the supposedly closed gym,” Mahoney said.  He located the light switch beside the door and flipped it on.  Murdock backed up a few steps as Mahoney stepped through the doorway. 

 

“Guess I could turn the lights on, but then someone else might wonder in,” Murdock said as he walked over to his gear and felt around until he found his water bottle.  “Seems to make others uncomfortable to have a blind guy in the gym.”

 

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Mahoney noticed Murdock had a split lip and a slight abrasion on one cheek.  “You get that lip hitting the bag?” he asked.   

 

Murdock patted the bag with his wrapped hand.  “My opponent got a couple of good licks in, but I vanquished him in the end,” Murdock replied.

 

“Maybe you should try wearing some headgear.  Can’t imagine clients want their lawyer looking like he just walked out of a bar fight.”

 

Murdock did grin at that.  “I’ll keep it in mind.” 

 

“Uh-huh,” Mahoney grunted in response.  He doubted Murdock would listen to him any more than Murdock’s partner, Foggy, did.  He completed his survey of the room, not that he’d expected to find anything once he’d realized what was going on.  “I’ll leave you too it then.”

 

“Sorry to have caused a problem, Sergeant,” Murdock said as he followed Mahoney back to the door.

 

“Lot less paperwork when it’s nothing,” Mahoney replied.  He stepped back outside and then turned for moment.  “Don’t forget to keep your hands up.  You don’t want that bag getting any more lucky hits.”

 

Murdock half-grin again.  “Good advice.  See you around, Sergeant.”

 

Mahoney gave a short wave as he walked away and then realized that Murdock wouldn’t have seen it.  “Remind that partner of yours that I don’t need him enabling my mom’s bad habits,” he said in parting.  He heard a slight chuckled from behind him before the door closed.  When he got back to his car and turned, the lights were off and the slight thump-thump from inside the gym could be heard once again.

 

After he reported back in, Mahoney was told there was a disturbance on 48th and 10th and the cops on scene had requested backup.  He pushed the non-incident with Murdock out of his mind as he pulled out to respond.  A blind lawyer boxing in the dark was the least of his concerns that night.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Mahoney huffed a short breath when he noticed who was walking through the precinct’s front desk.  Not that he really disliked Foggy.  They were more like – what did his niece call it? – frenemies.  He enjoyed getting the better of his childhood rival and, really, Foggy wasn’t that bad for a defense attorney.  At least he generally kept his practice to those who actually needed to be defended.  Mahoney could respect that. 

 

Murdock, on the other hand, was still pretty much an unknown.  A competent lawyer from what Mahoney had heard -  and hell against a punching bag - but Mahoney had little interaction with him outside of the job.

 

“Something I can do for you, gentlemen?” Mahoney asked as the duo reached the front desk.  Murdock released his hold on Foggy’s arm and gripped his white cane with both hands when they stopped.  Mahoney had a brief image of Foggy as a seeing eye dog and had to suppress a childish grin. 

 

“We are representing Antione Ferguson, who is currently in one of your holding cells,” Foggy answered with a friendly smile.  “We’d like to talk to him, if it’s not too much trouble.”

 

Probably even if it was too much trouble, but Foggy was normally affable even when he didn’t need to be.  On the other hand, word around the precinct was that Murdock had little tolerance for people who failed to meet his attorney-given rights.  He suspected that rumor had started with Detective Blake though who hadn’t been the most agreeable person himself.  Mahoney, however, hadn’t seen any evidence of Murdock’s impatience and would withhold judgement until he had. 

 

“I’ll have him brought up,” Mahoney replied.  He turned to one of the rookies that was riding the desk due to an injury and sent him after the attorneys’ client.

 

“By the way, I have something for Bess at the office if you want to come by and pick it up,” Foggy said.  “Matt wouldn’t let me bring it with me.”

 

“I pointed out that people might start talking if he kept bringing you packages, even if they were for your mother,” Murdock said softly. 

 

“Appreciate that,” Mahoney said dryly.  “It’s bad enough that vigilantes are sending criminals to me directly.  Last thing I need is for anyone to start thinking I actually get along with defense attorneys.”

 

“Daredevil is sending you criminals?” Foggy asked, sounding startled.  He glanced at Murdock who, of course, didn’t notice.  “How does that work?  Does he gift wrap them too?  Maybe a big bow?”

 

Mahoney snorted.  “You remember Detective Hoffman?  Told him to turn himself in… to me, by name.  Like I’m the only honest cop in the precinct.”

 

“That may have been our fault,” Murdock replied.  “When we were working with Ben Urich, Foggy may have mentioned that we knew at least one cop we could trust.  Ben admitted that he’d talked to Daredevil a few times.  That may be how he got your name.”

 

“Thanks for that,” Mahoney replied again, though he was actually pleased that Foggy hadn’t doubted him, even when they’d suspected that half the precinct was in Fisk’s pocket.  Not that he was going to admit that to Foggy.  “Hoffman was just the beginning.  I now have three muggers, five purse snatchers and a couple of robbers to my arrest record, all thanks to that idiot with the horns.”

 

“I know, they’re ridiculous, aren’t they?” Foggy exclaimed with another sidelong look at Murdock.  “I mean, it was bad enough when they just called him ‘The Devil’.  He had to go and bring the image to life.  Way overboard, in my opinion.”

 

“Yeah, because the horns are what the cops are really worried about,” Mahoney replied sarcastically.  From Foggy’s sidelong looks at his partner, Mahoney suspected that there was some difference of opinion between the partners about Hell’s Kitchen’s resident, illegal crime-fighter, but Murdock chose to keep quiet on the subject. 

 

When Mahoney glanced Murdock’s way, Murdock was rubbing his nose just underneath his glasses.  He could just see the edges of what looked like a black eye before the glasses dropped back in place.

 

“That’s some shiner, Murdock.  You let your guard down again?” Mahoney asked.  “You know, your opponent isn’t going to show any mercy.  You’ve got to keep your hands up.”

 

“What?  What opponent?” Mahoney was fairly sure that Foggy actually squeaked in surprise.  Maybe Murdock hadn’t mention his nocturnal boxing practice.  “There’s no opponent, is there, Matt?”

 

“He means my boxing practice at Fogwell’s,” Matt replied calmly.  He explained about the call that Mahoney had investigated.  “It’s nothing, Sergeant.  Just an accident.”

 

“Yeah, accident,” Foggy echoed and then added, “Nearly ran over by one of those bicycle messengers, wasn’t that it?  Knocked you into a… a light pole, right?” 

 

Murdock hummed what Mahoney took as affirmation, but he knew that Foggy was lying.  He had no idea why Foggy would bother though.  It was just a black eye.  Not like neither of them had gotten one before.

 

“Those guys ride like they’re on crack,” Mahoney said.  “You wouldn’t believe how many complaints we get about them every week.”

 

Foggy relaxed a bit when it looked like Mahoney had bought his lie.

 

“Like I said, it was just a freak accident.  I doubt they meant to knock anyone over,” Murdock said. 

 

“Hey, Sergeant, Ferguson is in room 3,” the rookie that Mahoney had sent on the attorney’s errand called out.

 

“Guess that’s us,” Foggy said, clapping his hands together and rubbing them as if in anticipation.  To Mahoney, it looked like he was overly relieved that the conversation was cut short.

 

Murdock inclined his head in Mahoney’s direction.  “Thanks for the assistance, Sergeant.”

 

“Yeah, thanks,” Foggy added.  He hustled his partner in the direction of the interrogation room without waiting for a response. 

 

Foggy was definitely hiding something.  Something that Mahoney was growing more curious about the further away the partners walked.  It might not be a bad idea to keep an idea on those two.  Something wasn’t right in the state of Denmark, or in this case, in the world of ‘Nelson and Murdock’.  


	3. Chapter 3

Mahoney stopped briefly to examine the sign on the outside of the building, ‘Nelson and Murdock, Attorneys at Law’.  It was small and simple but he was sure Foggy wouldn’t have been any prouder of it if it had been a giant billboard that could be seen all over Hell’s Kitchen. 

 

“Hey, buddy!  You stopping by for Bess’s cigars?” Foggy said with a welcoming grin as he stepped outside and saw Mahoney standing there.  He held the door open until Murdock joined him on the sidewalk.

 

“She’s been badgering me about those damn cigars since I mentioned them to her,” Mahoney replied.  “Don’t dare go back by there without them.”  He exchanged a brief greeting with Murdock.  “Looks like you two are on your way somewhere.  Don’t suppose you can spare a minute.”

 

“Our secretary, Karen, is upstairs,” Foggy said.  “Just tell her who you are and she’ll know where the package is.  She might even offer you a cup of coffee, but be forewarned – drink at your own risk.”

 

Murdock made a scoffing sound.  “It’s not that bad, Foggy.”

 

“I’m just getting off shift.  As long as it has enough caffeine to keep me awake until I get home, it could taste like motor oil,” Mahoney replied.  He noticed that Matt was holding his white cane in both hands again.  He also noticed that one of those hands was wrapped in a compression bandage.  “You get side-swiped by another messenger, Murdock?  Seems like you’ve got a new injury every time I see you lately.”

 

Mahoney noticed that Foggy fidgeted nervously at the mention of Murdock’s injuries. 

 

“Just another accident,” Murdock replied.  “Was reaching out to open a door when someone opened it from the other side.  Jammed my wrist, but it should be okay in a day or so.”

 

“I hope this sting of bad luck you’re having isn’t rubbing off,” Mahoney said.  “Got enough of my own lately.”

 

“We really should be going, buddy,” Foggy said, tugging lightly on Murdock’s jacket.  “Meeting a client and don’t want to be late,” he added to Mahoney. 

 

“No problem, I’ll just go meet this secretary of yours,” Mahoney said with a dismissive wave.  He watched as the pair walked away.  Murdock had his bandaged hand on Foggy’s arm and his cane in the other, sweeping the path before him.  Foggy started a running commentary on their surroundings as they walked.  Mahoney suspected that it was a habit born from the years they’d spent together – rather like pieces of a puzzle that just fit together even when they didn’t look like they would at first glance. 

 

Once they were out of sigh, Mahoney sighed, still puzzled by Foggy’s reactions.  He walked inside and grinned when located the office with the hand-made sign repeating ‘Nelson and Murdock, Attorneys at Law’ on the door.  Being a defense attorney in a neighborhood like this must not pay the big bucks if the second sign was any indication.

 

Mahoney knocked a couple of times before opening the door.  He recognized the young woman who looked up from the front desk from when she’d been arrested a while back, but doubted she’d remember him. 

 

“Hey, I’m Brett Mahoney,” he introduced himself.  “Foggy said he had something for my mother and told me to stop by sometime.”

 

“Oh, Sgt. Mahoney,” Karen gushed as she stood.  “You just missed Foggy.  He and Matt had a client meeting and left not five minutes ago.”

 

“Yeah, ran into them outside as they were leaving,” Mahoney replied.  “Foggy said you’d know where he left the package?”

 

“Oh, of course.  It should be in his desk somewhere,” Karen replied.  She seemed a little flustered as she walked into one of the side offices and began to go through the drawers.  “Here, I think this is it.”  She walked out and handed Mahoney a familiar, plain brown bag.

 

Mahoney looked inside the bag.  “Yep, that’s it.”  He closed the bag and looked up.  Karen seemed a little nervous and he wondered if maybe she did remember him after all.  “I keep telling him to stop buying my mom cigars, but he just ignores me.  I think I’ll send him the cleaning bill for getting the smoke smell out of the apartment.”

 

Karen’s laugh was even a little nervous.  “I’m sure he means well.”

 

“Yeah, I’m sure my mother would agree,” Mahoney replied.  He wondered if Foggy had been spinning stories about him, since Karen obviously knew who he was.  “Foggy said I might be able to bum a cup of coffee.  I’m just coming off shift and it’s been a long night.”

 

“Oh, sure.  Of course,” Karen flitted over to a small nook in the corner and checked the cups – he assumed for one that was clean – before pouring coffee into one. 

 

“Just black,” Mahoney said before she could ask.  He took a cautious sip and gave a sigh of relief.  “Not bad,” he said and took a deeper drink.

 

“I’m surprised Foggy recommended my coffee,” Karen said with a slightly relieved smile.  “He seems to think my skills are sadly lacking in that area.”

 

“He hasn’t drunk the sludge at the precinct,”  Mahoney replied.  Karen seemed a little more at ease, but not completely.  “Murdock seemed to think it was okay.” 

 

“Yeah, he’s a sweetheart,” Karen replied.  She walked over to her desk and leaned back against it with her arms over her chest.  “They both are really.  I couldn’t ask for better bosses.”  She looked down for a moment and then looked up rather shyly.  “I understand that I have you to thank for that.”

 

“Me?” Mahoney replied.  It took a moment before he remembered.  “All I did was tell Foggy about a case he might be interested in.”

 

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t be working here if you hadn’t.” Karen shrugged, took a deep breath and then straightened as if determined to put her nerves behind her.  “In fact, I probably wouldn’t be here at all, if you know what I mean.”

 

So that was what was behind the woman’s nerves – bad memories that Mahoney’s presence had resurfaced. 

 

While Mahoney wasn’t adverse to appreciation for doing his job, in this case, he really hadn’t done anything.  He might could use that to dig a little though – maybe find out what was going on with Foggy.  “Glad everything worked out for you.  Nelson and Murdock doesn’t seem like a bad firm to work for, even if they are defense attorneys.”  He added a slight smile so she’d know he was just joking… a little.

 

Karen smiled back, more at ease now that she’d said her thanks.  “They just want to help people who need it – like Mrs. Cardenas.”  She blinked a few times as if fighting back tears.

 

“Yeah, my mom was ready to go after Fisk herself when she put the pieces together,” Mahoney said.  “He’d better get convicted or she’s likely to join Daredevil to get some satisfaction – and I don’t think she’d look good in red leather.”

 

Karen laughed lightly.  “If I hear about a She-Devil, I’ll know why now.”

 

Mahoney gave a long-suffering shudder that was only partially fake.  Now, how to get this conversation steered the way he wanted before he ran out of coffee?  “Well, if she does take up the horns, maybe I’ll send her Murdock’s way.  Looks like he could use someone to watch out for him.  Maybe he wouldn’t keep turning up on the wounded list.”  It was a stretch, but he was really curious as to what Karen knew about her boss’s ongoing injuries.  She was around the pair of lawyers every day and had to have noticed.

 

“He does seem accident prone, doesn’t he?” Karen nodded in agreement but her tone said something else.

 

“You sound skeptical,” Mahoney said.  “Do some of those excuses sound as farfetched to you as they do to me?” 

 

“I know, right? Karen said, nodding emphatically.  “Foggy thinks I’m imaging it, but no one gets hurt that much just walking around, even if they are blind.”

 

“So Foggy buys all those excuses?” Mahoney asked.  “I didn’t think he was that gullible.”

 

“I don’t think he is, not really,” Karen said with a slight frown.  She hesitated a moment, worrying her lip with her teeth.  “You and Foggy have been friends for a long time, right?  I mean, you know him fairly well…”  She trailed off as if now sure how to put her thoughts into the proper words.

 

“You think something else is behind Murdock getting injured so much and Foggy is covering for him,” Mahoney said.  He could see the relief on Karen’s face as someone else put into words what she must have been suspecting for a while now.

 

“Exactly.  But I can’t figure out what it is they’re hiding or why?” Karen said in a rush.  Mahoney heard the unspoken, ‘why they are hiding it from me’ that should have followed that statement.  “You know Foggy better than I do.  Maybe you have some ideas?”

 

Mahoney shrugged slightly.  He did have some ideas, but not enough evidence to point in any one direction.  “I’d just be guessing at this point.  I’m not around them enough to make an informed conclusion.”  Jesus, he sounded like a lawyer now.  “How long has this been going on?”

 

Karen sighed as she pushed her hair behind one ear.  “Pretty much since I started working here.  Most of the times it’s just little things, like when Matt tries not to grimace when he stands up or there’s a small cut on his face that he brushes off as nothing.”  She shifted her weight as if trying to decide whether to say more. 

 

Mahoney sipped his coffee which was becoming cold by now, but he didn’t want to do anything to discourage Karen from sharing.

 

“There was this one time, though.  I had to call to find out where they were and Foggy said that Matt had been hit by a car.”  She paused again as if reliving that conversion. “He sounded like he was making something up on the fly though.  And when I went by to see Matt the next day, he was so beat up.”

 

Mahoney made an encouraging sound, but didn’t interrupt as Karen paused to gather her thoughts.

 

“I mean, it looked like he had been literally beat up – no way he was hit by a car,” Karen said, a touch of anger in her tone.  “And his apartment had been trashed, though someone had tried to clean it up.  I thought maybe Fisk had found out we were investigating him, but Matt kept saying it was his fault and to drop it.”

 

She swallowed hard.  “I think he was trying to protect me from something.”  She looked directly at Mahoney with a fierceness that surprised him. “I thought he wanted to protect me from Fisk, but he’s in jail and Matt is still getting hurt and I don’t know what to think now.”

 

“Could it someone else?  Maybe, someone close to him?” Mahoney suggested when it didn’t look like Karen was going to say anything else.  It was a thought that had been nagging at him, but he didn’t know the man well enough.  It wasn’t unheard of for women to be the abusive ones in a relationship, especially if the man was disabled.

 

“There’s just me and Foggy,” Karen said with a frown.  “Foggy would never…” She shook her head emphatically.  “Besides, when Matt had that big accident, he and Foggy didn’t talk for nearly a week and Matt was still getting hurt.  Whatever happened to Matt, Foggy was majorly pissed.  He even threw away their building sign and we had just gotten it. I thought for a while that they may not ever get it worked out.”

 

“There isn’t anyone else?” Mahoney asked.  “No one he’s mentioned?”

 

Karen paced around her desk as she thought.  “You know, there have been several times that Matt’s come in, obviously in pain, and the first thing Foggy asked him was if he’d seen Claire the night before.  When I asked who she was, Foggy said she was a friend of Matt’s, but he didn’t sound like he liked her – and you know Foggy, he likes everyone.”  Karen gave Mahoney a worried look.  “You don’t think she’s… hurting Matt, do you?  Why would Foggy try to cover that up if he knew?”

 

“People do strange things when someone they care about is being abused,” Mahoney replied.  It would explain why Foggy became so agitated whenever Mahoney made comment about Murdock’s injuries.  The fight even made sense.  If Matt refused to admit he was being abused and Fogey had pushed it, it may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back – so to speak.  Fogey probably felt helpless and frustrated with no idea how to put a stop to something that his partner refused to acknowledge.

 

“How much do you know about this Claire person?” Mahoney asked. 

 

“Nothing,” Karen replied with a dejected sigh.  She gave Mahoney a helpless, lost look.  “What are we supposed to do?  How can we stop this, if that is what’s happening?”

 

Mahoney wasn’t sure there was anything they could do unless someone actually witnessed the abuse taking place.  As long as Matt continued to make excuses, their hands were tied.  “Maybe talk to Foggy.  If he knows what’s going on, he might could use the support.”

 

Mahoney put the coffee cup down and gave Karen’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.  “I’ll keep an eye out.  See what I can learn.”

 

Karen nodded unhappily.  “I’ll let you know if I learn anything else about this Claire person.”

 

“Walk softly, Karen,” Mahoney suggested.  “First sign that you suspect something, Murdock may close you out completely.  Just let him know you’re there if he wants to talk, but don’t push.  We’ll figure this out.  I promise.”

 

He just hoped he could keep that promise.


	4. Chapter 4

 

It had been several days since Mahoney had talked to Karen about their mutual suspicions concerning the frequency of Murdock’s injuries.  Mahoney was no closer to figuring out what was going on, but hadn’t exactly had a lot of time to devote to the issue either.  Daredevil had apparently taken a few personal days leaving NY’s finest to watch the city on their own.  As much as Mahoney hated anyone taking the law into their own hands, he had to admit that there was a lot less criminal activity going on when the lawbreakers knew the vigilante was on the prowl.  Maybe those horns had a point after all – no pun intended.

 

Currently, Mahoney was spending his day off in a dive bar while trying to get Foggy’s tongue lubricated enough to spill on the whole Murdock-getting-a-new-injury-every-other-day cover-up.  So far, Foggy was waxing poetic about everything except the one subject Mahoney was interested in – not that Foggy’s escapades with Marci (whoever that might be) weren’t entertaining.  If nothing else, Foggy knew how to spin a good story.  It just wasn’t the story that Mahoney wanted and Foggy wasn’t quite drunk enough yet to be steered into a subject that he’d run from if it had been brought up while sober.

 

“So what does your partner think of Marci,” Mahoney asked, trying to steer the subject back to Murdock in some form or fashion.

 

“Matt says she’s a shark,” Foggy informed him with a serious nod. 

 

“I thought all you defense attorneys were sharks,” Mahoney said as he poured another round of drinks.  So far, Foggy hadn’t noticed that Mahoney’s glass was never empty before he topped it off again.

 

“Might have become a shark, but Matt saved me from that,” Foggy replied and then grinned widely.  “Marci is a shark and she thinks I’m delicious.” 

 

Mahoney couldn’t help but chuckle as Foggy started laughing at his own joke.  Foggy was a very amusing drunk. 

 

“I was surprised Murdock wasn’t at the office when I dropped by,” Mahoney said.  It was difficult to keep Foggy on the topic Mahoney wanted without arousing suspicion.  Foggy may be drunk, but he wasn’t stupid.  “He didn’t walk into another door, did he?”

 

Foggy snorted into his empty cup and then reached for the bottle to refill it.  “Not that I know of.  Matt likes his privacy though.  No telling what he’s up to.”

 

“Maybe he’s got a girl hidden away,” Mahoney suggested.  “Could be worried you’d lure her away with your incredible charm and wit.”

 

“I may be the funny one, but Matt’s the charmer.  Women fall all over themselves to help ‘the blind guy’.  Totally not fair,” Foggy said.  “Beside, he’d tell me if he had a girl,” Foggy added. “Hasn’t been anyone since Hottie McBurner-Phone.”

 

“What kind of name is Hottie McBurner-Phone,” Mahoney asked.  He hoped he hadn’t gotten Foggy so drunk that he was at the nonsense point already.

 

Foggy focused on Mahoney with a puzzled frown before laughing.  “Isn’t her real name.  Matt had this phone – just for his ladies.  I only met the one, though.  But she was hot.”

 

“Are there a lot of ladies?” Mahoney asked.  He had to admit that Murdock was a good looking man.  And, like Foggy said, some women liked someone they could take care of.  Maybe one of them had gotten possessive and didn’t like the competition.

 

“Not lately,” Foggy said.  “And he didn’t really date Claire.  She just patches him up when he gets hurt.  Thought they might go somewhere, but I guess she’s too smart for that.  Matt has terrible luck with women.  Never works out for him.”

 

Well, that explained who Claire was and why Foggy asked if Murdock had seen her after he’d had another accident.  Probably not the abuser then.

 

“I thought lawyers were supposed to be great catches,” Mahoney said, more to keep the conversation going than anything else.

 

“That we are,” Foggy said with a huge grin.  “Entirely catchable, full of fun and surprises, gentlemen and scholars.”

 

Mahoney had a feeling that Foggy had lost track of where he was going with that last bit.

 

Someone from across the bar yelled out, “Hey, turn that up.”

 

Mahoney automatically turned towards the television over the bar as several of the bar patrons moved closer to see what was so interesting.

 

“Daredevil,” Foggy scoffed.  “Can’t believe these bozos are fan-boys.”

 

 Mahoney remembered how Foggy had made fun of the vigilante’s outfit, seemingly as a dig at his partner which Murdock hadn’t responded to.  “Take it you don’t care much for Horn-head.”

 

Foggy started giggling while repeating ‘horn-head’ under his breath.  He finally caught his breath and then frowned when he glanced over at the television.  “For someone who seems so intent on keeping his identify a secret, he certainly gets on the news a lot.”

 

“Everyone has a camera now-a-days,” Mahoney grumbled.  “About all we can tell from those pictures though is height, weight and coloring.  You know how many guys in Hell’s Kitchen match his description?  Even your partner would, if he weren’t blind.”  He remembered how he’d nearly mistaken Murdock for the Devil at the gym that night.

 

Foggy poured himself another shot, which barely hit the glass before he was knocking it back.  “Maybe I’ll get him a Daredevil costume for Halloween.  Looks like it’s going to be all the rage this year.”  Foggy did not sound pleased at the prospect.

 

“I might not like the guy’s methods, but got to admit that Fisk probably would be long gone without him,” Mahoney said.  He wondered why Foggy seemed so down on the guy.  It seemed to be more than just general principle.  “You ever meet him – back when Ben was working with him?”

 

Foggy glanced at the TV, which was re-running the 20 second clip of Daredevil jumping off a fire escape and then practically running up the opposite wall to disappear over the roof.  “Just once,” Foggy said humor gone.  “Can’t say I was impressed.”

 

“Can’t say I cared much for him after our first meeting either, but considering a bunch of dirty cops had just tried to kill him, I guess I’ll cut him some slack,” Mahoney replied.  He glanced over at Foggy who was frowning at his empty shot glass but making no effort to refill it.  “Got to say, I was surprised when you told me you and Murdock were working with him.”  Actually, Foggy had said that Ben was working with the vigilante, but Mahoney suspected that the two lawyers might have been more involved than they’d let on.

 

“Yeah, Matt kind of surprised me on that one too,” Foggy said unhappily. 

 

“Take it that you don’t agree,”  Mahoney said.

 

“Matt says the city needs the Devil,” Foggy replied.  “I’m not so sure.”

 

Foggy motioned towards a nearby group who were pulling up videos of Daredevil on their phones and showing them to each other.  “Seems like the city agrees with Matt, though.”

 

Mahoney wondered just how much contact Murdock had with the Devil now that Fisk was behind bars.  He could see the vigilante being more comfortable working with someone who was unable to see him.  He wouldn’t even have to worry about wearing the mask around Murdock.

 

But that raised other concerns.  Did someone else know about the connection?  Was someone trying to get Murdock to talk about what he knew? 

 

No, not talk or the injuries would have been more severe.  Someone may be trying to get him to use his connection to learn more about the vigilante though. 

 

Damn if this mystery didn’t just take an even more sinister turn.


	5. Chapter 5

The police had the pawn shop surrounded, but the assailants inside had them in a standoff.  There were three armed men inside and at least five hostages.  The police had been ordered to wait for the negotiator to work his magic, but so far the assailants had done little more than threaten to kill the hostages if anyone came near the place.

 

Mahoney waited, gun trained on the front of the pawn shop, for orders or some sign that the aggressors were making a move.

 

“The negotiator should be here in 10.”  Mahoney heard someone say.  Ten more minutes of not knowing if five innocents were going to make it out alive or not.  Ten more minutes of wondering if the armed men inside might decide to take a few police officers with them instead of giving up peacefully.  Ten minutes was an eternity.

 

“What’s that?” someone called out.  “Something’s going on inside.”

 

Mahoney could just hear shouts before gunfire erupted in the store.  Screams followed as the glass front shattered.  Cops ducked behind their vehicles as they tried to avoid stray bullets while looking for a target.

 

“Stevens, Mahoney, take flank.  See what’s going on it there,” the Detective in charge called.

 

Mahoney used the cars as cover as he moved to one side of the store and tried to see inside.  Stevens, on the opposite side, glanced in and shook his head.  The lights were out and neither of them could see what was going on. 

 

Then it grew quiet.  All Mahoney could hear was someone staggering slowly towards the door, stumbling with a slight sob.  A moment later, an older woman opened the front door, hands raised as she tentatively shuffled outside.  Stevens rushed to the woman’s aid and pulled her to the side, out of the line of fire if it started once again.

 

One by one, the hostages staggered through the door and were pulled aside by the police.

 

“What happened inside?” Mahoney asked the 20-something man that had the shell-shocked look of someone coming off a battlefield.

 

“I don’t know,” the man said.  “They made us stay in the office while they argued about what to do and then… the lights went out.”

 

“Someone slammed the door closed,” another man added, not quite as affected.  “Then we heard a crash and the guns started going off.”

 

“Then it got real quiet again,” the first man said, “and when the door opened back up, someone told us to get out.”

 

Mahoney was one of the officers sent inside, guns drawn, to find what had become of the hostage takers.

 

One of the officers started cursing under his breath.  Mahoney caught the words ‘frigging vigilantes’.

 

The armed men were sprawled unconscious on the floor.  At least one’s leg was in an unnatural position.  They all sported signs of having been repeated hit with something hard and unyielding.

 

“Daredevil,” another officer growled.

 

Mahoney went through to the back of the store, looking for how the Devil had gained entry.  He found an open bathroom window that faced the alley behind the store.  There was blood on the sill. 

 

The door to the alley locked behind Mahoney as left the store by the more conventional means.  The alley was empty, but there was fresh blood on the ground leading away from the store.  Mahoney debated whether to follow the trail or not.  If it was Daredevil and Mahoney found him, what then?  Did he arrest him for saving those people? 

 

He couldn’t just leave it though.  The man was obviously injured.  He should at least make sure the vigilante wasn’t lying in a pile of trash, bleeding out somewhere.

 

The trail led to another alley and stopped underneath a fire escape, one of Daredevil’s favorite means of evading capture.

 

“You planning on arresting me, Sergeant?”  The voice came from somewhere above Mahoney.

 

“You left a trail of blood a rookie could follow,” Mahoney replied.  He backed up until make out the silhouette of the vigilante on the second floor landing and holstered his weapon. “You take a hit back there?”

 

“Just a flesh wound.  Nothing I can’t handle,” Daredevil replied.  He dropped from the fire escape to land about ten feet from Mahoney.  The left side of his pants were torn around the knee, red fabric flapping slightly in the breeze. 

 

“You took a big risk, going in there,” Mahoney said.  “Civilians could have been hurt.”

 

“They were safe enough in the office,” Daredevil replied.  “I made sure to direct the bullets away from there.”  He shifted slightly, favoring his left leg a bit.

 

“Looks like your suit took a beating,” Mahoney said, motioning towards the tear in the leg.  “Hate to see your tailor bill.”

 

“I get a frequent customer discount,” Daredevil replied.  “Though he doesn’t care much for getting blood out.”

 

“How can he tell?  It’s red,” Mahoney said with a snort. 

 

Daredevil gave him a half-grin.  “If I’m not getting arrested, I think I’ll go bleed somewhere a little more comfortable.”

 

“Is there a hell’s gate somewhere around here?” Mahoney couldn’t help but ask.  When had he started trading barbs with the vigilante? 

 

“Closer the better tonight,”  Daredevil replied.  He took a few steps towards the fire escape again.  Definitely favoring his left leg, though that didn’t stop him from scrambling up the side of the building like a damn monkey.  “Stay safe, Sergeant.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Mahoney said under his breath.  Daredevil was already over the roof and gone.

 

~ * ~

 

The hospital was one of Mahoney’s least favorite places.  Of course, most people would say the same, but it was here, in the unforgiving florescent lights, that he could see the stark, heartbreaking results of what humans were capable of inflicting on each other.  Taking a statement from a poor girl barely in her teens who had been raped and left for dead in an alley ranked at the top of Mahoney’s list of things he’d like to never have reason to do again. 

 

Mahoney ran into the hospital administrator after leaving the girl’s room and she paused in her harried routine to walk with him down the hall.  Ms. Benson may come off as a little rough around the edges, but she genuinely cared about her patients. 

 

“How’s the Chambers girl?” Ms. Benson asked.

 

“In shock mostly,” Mahoney said.  “Parents are at least supportive.”

 

“Did you get enough to id the asshole that did it?” Ms. Benson growled.

 

Mahoney shook his head.  “She didn’t get a good look at him.  Hopefully the rape kit will give us something to go on.”

 

“Or the Devil will find him for you,” Ms. Benson said.  He wasn’t sure if she were hoping for that or just stating a possibility.

 

“Just hope he leaves enough to throw in prison,” Mahoney said.  He had no illusions about what would happen if Daredevil found the rapist first. Though, in this case, he’d be happy to turn a blind eye to whatever condition the perp turned up in.

 

“You heading out?” Ms. Benson asked.

 

“Almost the end of my shift,” Mahoney said, stifling a yawn.  “I could use a cup of coffee though.”

 

“I could use one myself,” Ms. Benson said.  She motioned down the hallway.  “Let’s see what they have in the break room.”

 

They were almost to the break room when the nurse at the nurse’s station waved to get Ms. Benson’s attention.  Mahoney followed without comment, hoping his free coffee wasn’t about to become a casualty of a hospital crisis that no one by Ms. Benson could handle.

 

“What’s going on, Denise?” Ms. Benson asked the nurse.  Mahoney tried to look unobtrusive.

 

“Social came by to talk to Mr. Murdock, but he refused to cooperate,” Doris said.  “We ran out of excuses for keeping his partner out of the room, but we’ve been trying to keep an eye on him.”

 

“Murdock?” Mahoney asked.  Had Murdock finally been injured so badly that they’d had to hospitalize him?  “Not Matt Murdock, is it?”

 

Ms. Benson raised a brow in question.  “You know him?”

 

“Went to school with his partner.  See them at the station now and then, working on a case,” Mahoney said.  “Murdock okay?” 

 

“They brought him in with a burst appendix, but he’s stable now,” Ms. Benson said. She motioned towards the break room and they made it inside without interruption this time.  Ms. Benson looked like she was carefully thinking out her words as she poured them both a cup of coffee.  “I’m telling this to Sgt. Mahoney of the NYPD, okay?”

 

“Okay, got it,” Mahoney said.  Translated, it meant that he was to treat whatever she said as police business.

 

“When they were prepping Mr. Murdock for surgery, they changed him into a hospital gown.  The surgeon said it looked like he’s been regularly beaten for months.  Possibly even cut with a knife or stabbed.” Ms. Benson sounded like she was barely containing her rage as she described, in detail, what the surgeon had told her about Murdock’s wounds.

 

“You’re thinking abuse?” Mahoney said.  He could hardly believe what Murdock had been carefully hiding under that business suit of his.

 

“We had someone from Social in to talk to Mr. Murdock this morning, but apparently, he gave them the run around,” Ms. Benson said.  She clenched her jaw and the forced herself to release it.  “You think it’s okay to let the Nelson guy in?  If he’s the one that’s –“

 

“It’s not Nelson,” Mahoney said.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell her who it was though.  He still hadn’t figured that one out himself. 

 

“You sure about that?  You’ve seen enough to know it’s not always the obvious ones and they are partners,” Ms. Benson said.

 

“Business partners,” Mahoney clarified.  He could see the confusion though.  “They don’t live together – at least, not since they got out of college.”

 

Ms. Benson let out a slightly relieved breath.  “I guess the nurse jumped to the wrong conclusion when Mr. Nelson said they were partners.” 

 

Mahoney took a drink of his coffee.  “Easy mistake to make now-a-days.”

 

“Sounds like you aren’t surprised by what the surgeon found though,” Ms. Benson said.  She was too sharp to lie to and it wasn’t like she’d be gossiping about her patients medical issues.

 

“Noticed that Murdock seems to get injured more than average,” Mahoney said.  “Wondered if there was more to it, but he always played it off as accidents.  Never had an excuse to dig deeper.”  If he had, he had no doubt that Murdock would have given him the same run around as Social, and possible brought him up on harassment charges.

 

“Maybe you should,” Ms. Benson said.  “You’ve got an established connection.  Maybe he’d open up to you.”

 

Mahoney was under no illusions about how likely that was.  He could give it a shot though.  Maybe the pain killers would make the normally taciturn Murdock a bit more chatty.  “Be best if I could talk to him alone.”

 

“I’ll get one of the nurses to change his bandages or something,” Ms. Benson replied.  “Be a good reason to clear the room.”

 

Mahoney chatted with the nurse at the nurse’s station while Ms. Benson sent another nurse into Murdock’s room.  A moment later, Foggy and Karen walked out and headed towards the nurse’s station which was by the elevators.

 

“Hey, Buddy, what brings you here?” Foggy asked in surprise when he noticed Mahoney.  Karen echoed his greeting.

 

“Just finished taking a statement,” Mahoney replied.  “Heard Murdock was brought in last night.  How’s he doing?”

 

“Ready to jump ship,” Foggy said with an exasperated half-grin.   “Nurse had to threaten to strap him to the bed.  I think she meant it, too.”

 

Karen giggled slightly.  “She looked strong enough to take him.  I wouldn’t have messed with her.”

 

“Maybe I’ll stop by, say hello, before I leave,” Mahoney said.

 

“The nurse is checking his bandages and, well, whatever nurses do,” Foggy said.  “She told us we’d have time to go down to the cafeteria and grab a bite before she’d let us back in.”

 

“Didn’t think they were going to let us in at all, for a while there,” Karen grumbled. 

 

“Hey, he just had emergency surgery,” Foggy said.  “I’m sure they had their reasons.”  Always the optimist.

 

“I’ve got a few more things to take care of up there,” Mahoney said.  “I’ll check on him before I go back to the station.”

 

He could tell Karen wanted to ask him a question, but not in front of Foggy or the miscellaneous hospital staff walking around. 

 

“We better get moving, Foggy said to Karen.  “Don’t want to leave Matt on his own too long.  We might come back and found he managed to sneak out in a laundry hamper or something.”

 

“It’s a hospital, Foggy, not a prison,” Karen said as they walked towards the elevators with a parting wave at Mahoney. 

 

Mahoney continued to chat with the nurse at the station until the decoy nurse walked out of Murdock’s room and gave him nod.

 

Murdock was sitting up, but his eyes were closed as the television played the news softly in the background.  Mahoney wondered if Murdock normally ‘watched’ much television.  He couldn’t see that there would be much appeal in just listening to most of the crap that was on now-a-days.

 

Mahoney knocked lightly on the door.  If Murdock were trying to sleep, he didn’t want to bother him.  He could always try to talk to him later.

 

“I’m awake,” Murdock said, though he sounded tired.

 

“Murdock,” Mahoney greeted as he walked in and closed the door behind him.  “Heard you were here and thought I’d swing by, see if that punching bag finally laid you out.”

 

“Sgt. Mahoney,” Murdock said with a half-smile.  “That bag will probably be plotting my demise by the time I get back to it.”

 

“Yeah, well, don’t push it.  That nurse looks like she really would strap you down if you don’t cooperate,” Mahoney said.

 

“You heard about that, huh?” Murdock said with a weak chuckle.

 

“Saw Foggy and Karen in the hall as they were leaving,” Mahoney said in reply as he sat in the chair beside the bed.  “Foggy is worried you might escape before he gets back.”

 

“What do you think my odds are?” Murdock asked with a sigh.  He leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment.  “Haven’t been in a hospital since I was nine and…”  he made a vague gesture towards this face.  “Really don’t like being here.”

 

Mahoney felt for the guy if being here was reminding him of when he’d lost his sight.  “I get that.  A burst appendix isn’t the same as, say, a stab wound or three though.  Might want to let the doctors do their thing this time.”

 

Murdock clenched his jaw before speaking.  “Socials already grilled me on how my home life is.  Are you here for round two?”

 

“I’m just here for a friendly chat,” Mahoney said, all innocence.  “Not everyone buys that all those wounds are just accidents though.  You might want to work on your list of excuses.”

 

“Is that you’re professional advice?” Murdock asked.

 

“You’re the attorney,” Mahoney said. “If you had you on a witness stand, would you believe you?”

 

Murdock’s mouth twisted into a grimace.  “Point made.”

 

“So, stab wounds.  You accidentally walk into a knife fight without realizing it?”  Mahoney asked.

 

“Maybe I cut myself shaving,” Murdock replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.

 

“You should try hot wax.  Hurts like a bitch at the time, but heals faster,” Mahoney said. 

 

“Thanks for the tip,” Murdock replied.  He shifted in the bed and grimaced. 

 

“Problem?” Mahoney asked, concerned.  “ Want me to get the nurse?”

 

“Need to make use of the facilities,” Murdock said.  He ran one arm over the other and then switched.  “Feels like they unhooked everything.”  He pushed himself upright and tried to push the blankets off his legs.

 

“You sure you don’t want a nurse?” Mahoney asked.  “You fall on your ass, I don’t want to get sued.”

 

Murdock clutched his stomach as he slid his legs over the side of the bed.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll make sure Foggy knows you tried to stop me.”

 

“Thanks for that,” Mahoney said dryly.

 

“It’s Karen you should worry about,” Murdock added with a half grin and then grimaced as he pushed himself to his feet. 

 

Mahoney caught his arm as Murdock listed to one side.

 

“Guess I don’t have my sea legs yet,” Murdock said.  He visibly steeled himself to shuffle towards the in-room bathroom. 

 

Mahoney release Murdock’s arm, but hovered close by just in case.  “You’re one stubborn son-of-a-bitch,” he noted. 

 

“Not the first time someone’s said that,” Murdock replied.  He disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

 

Mahoney shook his head at the idiot’s determination.  He wasn’t sure he’d be up walking around so soon after surgery. 

 

There was a knock at the door and Foggy stuck his head inside.  “Is it clear?”  He looked around until he noticed Mahoney and then frowned at the empty bed.  “Hey, Warden, the prisoner escape?”

 

Mahoney jerked his thumb towards the bathroom.  “Pigheaded S.O.B. insisted on walking to the bathroom on his own.”

 

“That’s our Matt,” Foggy said with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. 

 

“Karen not coming back?” Mahoney asked when no one else came through the door.

 

“I think she’s getting Matt a balloon or something,” Foggy replied.  “Not sure why, since he can’t actually see it, but she seems to think it’s a thing.”

 

The bathroom door opened back and Matt shuffled back out, noticeably favoring one side.  “It’s the thought that counts,” he said as Foggy offered his arm to steady his friend.

 

“You’re knee still bothering you?” Foggy asked.  “We could probably get a brace for it, or something.  Maybe a cold pack.”

 

“I’ll be fine, Foggy,” Matt said.  He sat heavily on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath before leaning back and swinging his legs back up.

 

Mahoney noted that Murdock’s knee was slightly swollen with a wicked red gash along the side. 

 

“Looks like you got hit in the knee pretty deep,” Mahoney observed.  “Bet it bled like a mother.”

 

Foggy looked nervously from Murdock to Mahoney and back.

 

“Probably looks worse than it is,” Murdock replied. 

 

“Wound like that, it’d cut right through your pants leg,” Mahoney continued. 

 

“Guess I’ll have to learn to sew,” Murdock replied. 

 

“Or get a good tailor,” Mahoney said.  “Maybe one that will give you a frequent customer discount since you seem to get injured so often.  Bound to be hell on your clothes.”

 

“I’ll have to look into that,” Murdock said.

 

Mahoney shook his head, silently berating himself for where his thoughts had led him.  There was no way that Murdock could be Daredevil.  The man was blind.  There was no way he could routinely take out armed criminals whom he couldn’t even see.  It just wasn’t possible.

 

“I should probably get back to the station,” Mahoney said.  “Still have a report to file then I’m off for a few days.”

 

“Thanks for keeping an eye on Matt,” Foggy said.  “We may actually managed to keep him here for a day or two.”

 

“Stay safe, Sergeant,” Murdock said as he lowered the back of the bed.  He sounded like he was exhausted.

 

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Mahoney said as he walked from the room.

 

It wasn’t possible.

 

Was it?

 


	6. Chapter 6

Mahoney had only gotten one day off before they’d called him back in to take over for someone who’d come down with the flu.  Just his luck to be healthy as a horse.  He checked up on the rape case from a couple of days ago, but the results from the rape kit had failed to provide an id.  They’d have to find the asshole first and then verify against the results.  Didn’t look like Daredevil was having any better luck in finding the guy though.  He wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or not.

 

As Mahoney was walking a through the squad room, he overheard one of the rookies talking to another.  “Hey, did you see the latest video of that Daredevil guy on YouTube?” 

 

“No, who’s he doing this time?” a second rookie asked as he rolled his desk chair over to watch. 

 

“Looks like he’s chasing a purse snatcher,” the first rookie replied.  Mahoney walked closer to see what they were watching.  He supposed that looking for vigilante activity online could be considered police work – if Daredevil were actually wanted for something at the moment.

 

“How are we supposed to catch a guy that runs up walls like that?” the second rookie complained.

 

“They didn’t teach us that at the academy,” the first said in agreement. 

 

By the time Mahoney was where he could see the monitor, the video had stopped and all he could see was the fire escape in some dark, nameless alley.  “Play that back for me,” he said.

 

The rookies gave a guilty start, but settled when Mahoney didn’t make any further comment.  “Uh, sure, Sergeant.”

 

Mahoney watch as Daredevil, in the solid black he had originally worn, punch a man holding a woman’s purse until he was down for the count and then returned the belongings of the couple standing nearby in a nervous huddle.  The video followed the Devil as he parkoured himself onto the first floor fire escape and then lost him in the dark.

 

“That’s got to be old,” Mahoney said, more to himself than the rookies.  “He hasn’t worn that since before Fisk got taken down.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” the second rookie said, punching his co-worker in the arm.  “Not red and no horns.”

 

Mahoney ignored the impending squabble between the rookies.  “How many more of these are there?”

 

The first rookie paused in the argument long enough to do a search.  “About two dozen on YouTube, but most of them are so dark and blurry that you can’t really see anything.”

 

“Can you tell when the video was actually taken, or just when it was posted?” Mahoney asked. 

 

“Just when it was posted, but most people post as soon as they take the video,” the first rookie – Jamison – replied. He scrolled the video they’d just watched up a bit.  “You’re right, Sergeant.  This was nearly two months ago.”

 

Mahoney nodded absently, deep in thought.  “What other sites have videos of the Devil?”

 

Jamison googled Daredevil and began pulling up several other sites that had videos of the vigilante.  Most showed nothing more than a fuzzy outline of someone about the right size, but there was an occasional clear shot of the notorious red, horned outfit. 

 

Mahoney noted that none of the dates on the videos were more current than four days ago, when he’d followed the Devil into the alley behind the pawn shop. 

 

“We book anyone lately that looks like they met up with the Devil first?” Mahoney asked.

 

The second rookie – Marks – rolled back to his desk and did a quick search of recent arrests.  “Looks like the last ones were that pawn shop, hostage situation.”  He glanced over at Mahoney.  “You were there, weren’t you, Sergeant?  Did you see the Devil?”

 

Mahoney ignored the question as he addressed Jamison.  “See if you can find anything Daredevil related since the pawn shop.  Email me what you find.”

 

“You think something is up with the Devil?” Marks asked as Mahoney walked away.  He muttered something under his breath to Jamison when Mahoney didn’t answer.

 

A good day’s sleep had managed to convince Mahoney that his suspicions at the hospital about the blind lawyer were just a product of it being the end of his shift and the end of a long work week.  Now, though, what if he wasn’t totally off about this?  It sounded like the Devil hadn’t been seen or heard from since the pawn shop incident.  Murdock had been in the hospital since the night after that. The Devil had hurt his left leg bad enough at the pawn shop to leave a blood trail.  He could just be taking it easy while he healed, but Murdock had injured his left leg as well. 

 

Coincidence? 

 

It had to be, right?  How could a blind guy do the things the Devil did?  Mahoney had seen the surveillance videos of the Devil attacking the police the night Hell’s Kitchen exploded.  Sure, no reason a blind guy couldn’t do the moves, but how would he know where his opponents were?  And that first time Mahoney had tried to arrest him, the Devil had thrown a piece of wood directly at Mahoney’s gun hand and then proceeded to put Mahoney on the ground. 

 

But the Devil hadn’t really hurt him.  Had just left him lying on the ground with a lot to think about concerning Mahoney’s fellow police officers.  Hadn’t killed those cops either, even though he’d known they were dirty.

 

In fact, the worst the Devil was known to have done was put a suspected child-trafficker into a coma by dropping him into a dumpster from the roof of an apartment building.  Not that anyone had proof of that, but the police had picked up the pieces after a report had come in concerning a half dozen Russians (also suspected child-traffickers) that had been beaten within an inch of their lives and a certain missing boy had been returned to his father.  No proof the Devil was involved in that either.

 

Mahoney might not approve of the Devil’s violent tendencies, but he had seen enough of the bottom of humanity to understand it.  Sometimes the law just didn’t seem like enough.  And as ambivalent as he felt about Daredevil and his methods, Mahoney couldn’t help but wonder who the man behind the mask was.  Murdock was a lawyer.  Did he feel the same inadequacies in the legal system that Mahoney did?  Had he decided to do something about it? 

 

Which led right back to the question of ‘how’?  How did a blind man throw a punch and make it connect?  How did a blind man climb up the side of a building using whatever hand/foot holds presented themselves?  How did a blind man know where the crimes were being committed before the police did?

 

Unless… he wasn’t blind…


	7. Chapter 7

Mahoney double-checked the address before knocking on Murdock’s apartment door.  He wasn’t surprised when Foggy answered the door instead of his partner. Those two had a serious bromance going on.

 

“Is that Bess’s famous chicken casserole?” Foggy asked as he motioned Mahoney through the door.  He took a deep breath in through his nose and let out an appreciative ‘mmm’ of approval.

 

“Yes, and it’s for the temporarily laid up, not his eternally ravenous partner,” Mahoney replied.

 

“Smells good, Sergeant,” Murdock said from where he was lounging on the sofa, “but your mother didn’t need to cook for me.”

 

“You can try telling her that, but it would be a waste of time,” Mahoney replied as Foggy led him into the kitchen. 

 

“You want some now, Matt?  It’s still warm,” Foggy asked hopefully. 

 

“Would you like to join us for some of your mother’s casserole, Sergeant?” Murdock asked.  He pushed himself up from the sofa with a slight wince and shuffled over to the table.  Foggy seemed to take that as a yes on serving the casserole and pulled down some plates with a grin.

 

“Naw, I’ve got to be at work in a few.  Was kind of surprised when Mom told me you were already out of the hospital and roped me into bringing this by,” Mahoney said.  “Guess that nurse didn’t tie you to the bed well enough.”

 

“By the time I arrived this morning, he was already dressed and ready to go,” Foggy said with a disapproving frown in Murdock’s direction.  “If he’d had his cell phone, I have no doubt that he would have called a cab and left before I got there.”

 

“The doctor said I was fine,” Murdock replied in a long-suffering tone.  He and Foggy must have already had this discussion a time or three.  “I’ve got all the meds they told me take and promised to go back if my temperature spikes.”

 

“The doctor said that he thought the chances of infection were negligible, but they’d like to keep you another day to be sure,” Foggy corrected.  He carried Matt’s plate to the table with a glass of juice.  “And the only meds you’ve taken are the antibiotics.  I’ve yet to see you touch the pain meds.”  Foggy turned to Mahoney.  “And they gave him the good stuff, too.”

 

“You don’t want to see a blind man try to walk when he’s spaced out from pain meds,” Murdock replied.  “Falling flat on my face wouldn’t help my stiches.”

 

Once again, Mahoney wondered just how blind Murdock was.  He had no doubt there was some vision loss.  The doctors would certainly have noticed if he were lying about that.  But if Murdock was Daredevil, there had to be some vision.  Maybe just shadows or vague outlines.  Something that told him where the bad guys were and what they were doing. Not that Mahoney could think of any way to prove how much or how little vision Murdock actually had without making it an official investigation.  At least, not any way that wouldn’t end up with him looking completely insensitive to a handicap person or in court being sued by two infuriated lawyers (regardless of how much they liked his mother’s casserole). 

 

Foggy huffed a bit as he returned to the kitchen to fix himself a plate.  “Sure you don’t want some, Brett?  At least have something to drink.  Guess beer is out since you’re on your way to work, but we have juice and water.”

 

“Water’s fine,” Mahoney said.  He still had a few minutes before he needed to head to the precinct. 

 

“Emm, is really good,” Murdock mumbled around his first bite.  “Be sure to thank Bess for me.”

 

“Yeah, me, too,” Foggy said as he joined Matt at the table.  He motioned for Mahoney to join them at the table.  “How’d Bess know Matt was in the hospital – or, out of it, as the case may be?”

 

“Nothing happens in Hell’s Kitchen without that woman knowing about it,” Mahoney said.  “Why do you think we stayed in trouble when we were kids?”

 

“Maybe you should get her on the police payroll.  Could save a fortune on informants,” Foggy said.

 

Mahoney snorted.  “Don’t give her any ideas.  If she didn’t have bad knees, she’d be out there with that Daredevil character, beating some poor mugger with her umbrella and threatening to tell his momma what she’d just caught him doing.”

 

Murdock must have tried to laugh just as he swallowed, because he suddenly started to cough.  Foggy was more fortunate and just cackled in delight.  “There’d be a lot fewer criminals if they had to endure the lectures we had as kids.”

 

Mahoney nodded in agreement.  “You okay there, Murdock?  Didn’t tear any stiches loose, did you?”

 

Murdock had one arm had over his stomach but was grinning.  “No, just didn’t expect that sort of imagery.”

 

Foggy started chortling harder.  “Yeah, just picture this middle age woman in a flowered dress, leaping from one building to the next and then shaking her finger in some guy’s face after hitting him over the head with her purse.”

 

Matt gasped a little as he tried not to laugh.  “Don’t make me laugh, Foggy.  Clair won’t be happy if she has to come sew me back up before I’ve even been out of the hospital for a day.”

 

Mahoney couldn’t suppress a small smile of his own.  It was strange seeing the two partners together like this.  More like getting together with his buddies after work.  God help him if any of his work-buddies found out he was hanging out with two defense attorneys though, especially one that might be a vigilante, blind or not. 

 

Watching them like this, though, made him second guess himself once again. Murdock just seemed so normal.  Not the type that would want to sneak out late at night and beat up bad guys.  Didn’t mean he’d completely given up on the idea though.

 

“So, how are things at the 15th?” Foggy asked Mahoney.  “Anything interesting that we should know about?”

 

“Nothing to get you lawyer types all hot and bothered over.  Been busy since the Devil disappeared though,” Mahoney said.  He wasn’t above a few subtle (or not so subtle) comments to help his on-going crusade to determine if Murdock really was Daredevil.  “Can’t decide if it’s an answered prayer or demonic retribution.”

 

“Daredevil disappeared?” Foggy asked, though he didn’t sound surprised.  Murdock seemed more interested in his food, though it was hard to tell with those dark glasses on.

 

“Haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since he got injured at that pawn-shop, hostage situation,” Mahoney said. 

 

Foggy narrowed his eyes as he shot a glare in Murdock’s direction.  “Injured, huh?  When did that happen?”

 

“Few nights ago,” Mahoney replied.  Murdock seemed almost too disinterested.  “Night before Murdock here got put into the hospital, actually.”

 

“If he was injured, then he’s probably just recuperating,” Murdock said with a shrug.  “He’ll show back up eventually.”

 

“Probably sooner than a reasonable person would after being injured,” Foggy grumbled.  

 

“I’m sure he’ll take reasonable precautions,” Murdock replied. 

 

“I’m fairly sure he thinks he’s indestructible and has the narcissistic belief that he’s the only one who can save Hell’s Kitchen,” Foggy replied.  He waved a hand in Mahoney’s direction.  “We do have a competent police force, you know.  Especially now that the dirty cops are out of the picture.”

 

“Which wouldn’t have happened without the Devil’s help,” Murdock replied.  His tone was casual, but his grip on his fork was tense.

 

“I’ll grant you that, Counsellor,” Foggy said archly.  “But the horns are still ridiculous.”

 

“And I’ll concede that point, Counsellor,” Murdock replied with half grin, tension diffused.

 

Mahoney was left with very little doubt as to Murdock’s relationship with Daredevil.  The glares that Foggy threw Murdock’s direction were a dead giveaway.  He hoped that Foggy wasn’t that transparent if he ever got put on the witness stand.

 

“Maybe Bess could stand in until Daredevil is back on his feet,” Foggy said with a smirk at Mahoney. “Give it a trial run, see how she likes the job.”

 

“If it worked out, the Devil might be able to retire permanently,” Murdock said with a half grin that Mahoney recognized from late night, dark alleys.

 

“If you two are through coming up with ways for my mom to give me heart-failure, I should probable get going,” Mahoney said, pushing himself to his feet.”  He pointed a warning finger at Foggy.  “Remember that casserole is for the injured guy, not the injured guy’s greedy partner.”

 

“Hey, I’ve got to keep my strength up.  Playing warden to Houdini over there is hard work,” Foggy protested.  He stood to walk Mahoney to the door. 

 

“I promised not to go back to work until Monday,” Murdock said in his defense.

 

“It’s Saturday.  That’s only two days after being cut open and having your inside rearranged,” Foggy reminded him in an unimpressed tone.

 

“Good luck with the prisoner, Warden,” Mahoney said as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

 

He didn’t hear Foggy’s muttered response as he closed the door behind him.  Foggy might be able to keep Murdock from returning to their law office before Monday, but Mahoney wondered if the Devil was going to be as cooperative.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

The weekend had been quiet, but as soon as Mahoney walked into the precinct Sunday night, Reynolds told him the Captain was looking for him. That seldom meant anything good. 

Mahoney knocked on the Captain’s doorframe to get the man’s attention. “You looking for me, Captain?”

“Close the door, Mahoney,” Captain McMasters said. He punched a few keys on the computer keyboard with an irritated growl before focusing on the Sergeant. “Whoever invented computers should be charged with a felony and put away for life.”

Mahoney suppressed a half-grin at the familiar rant. It was a good thing that the Captain’s police skills were far superior to his ability with a computer. He wanted to make a joke about being nice to the machines in case they decided to revolt and take over, but that seemed a little too close to reality after Ultron. Instead, he waited patiently until the Captain pushed the keyboard away and focused his attention on Mahoney.

“Jamison says you have him searching for videos on the that masked vigilante that seems to think the police are a waste of tax payer dollars,” the Captain said. “What’s the angle?”

Mahoney chose his words carefully. He wasn’t exactly hiding his interest in Daredevil, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with what he suspected either. “Just looking for patterns, Captain.”

“Anything that’ll help us put an end to that asshole’s interference?” the Captain asked.

“Nothing that amounts to anything,” Mahoney replied with a shrug. He wasn’t about to tell his Captain that he suspected a blind lawyer. At least, not until he had actual proof wouldn’t get him laughed off the force. “Didn’t think we had a warrant for him though.”

“Can bring him in for resisting arrest, if nothing else,” the Captain said. He gave Mahoney a narrow-eyed look. “He disarmed you and fled, didn’t he?”

“After some dirty cops tried to kill him and that Russian,” Mahoney replied. 

“Whose side are you on, Sergeant?” the Captain snapped.

“I’m just saying, any half-decent defense attorney is going to get him off if we try to charge him with that,” Mahoney said in a carefully neutral tone. He wondered if Murdock would represent himself or have Foggy do it.

The Captain leaned back, eyes still narrowed. “We don’t have to make anything stick. Just get him in here and get that mask off. Once he can’t hide in the shadows anymore, I doubt will have to worry about him interfering every time we turn around.”

Mahoney wasn’t sure how he felt about Daredevil getting publicly unmasked. Sure, he’d like his suspicions confirmed, but did he really want the whole world knowing that Murdock and Daredevil were one and the same? Of course, he could be wrong about that. Probably was wrong about that. Hoped he was wrong about that, if he was honest with himself. “Those videos haven’t given us anything that we can use to find him. Half the guys in the city would fit his general description.”

The Captain leaned forward and rubbed his forehead with his thumbs for a few seconds before looking back up. “I want this to be your top priority, Sergeant. Find that masked asshole and bring him in. You need anything to make that happen, it’s yours.”

Mahoney gave a stiff nod. “That all, Sir?”

The Captain waved him away, but before Mahoney could open the door, the Captain had one last parting remark. “We’ve got several openings for detective, Sergeant. A collar like this would go a long way toward getting a man noticed.”

Mahoney looked back for just a moment before nodding again. “Understood, Sir. I’ll get right on that.”

Did Mahoney really want to further his career at the expense of someone he kinda-sorta respected? It wasn’t like Daredevil didn’t know the risk associated with what he was doing. But what about the people close to him? Did Foggy and Karen deserve the fall-out if Murdock was unmasked as the Devil? 

Was Mahoney even sure that Murdock was Daredevil? The case against a blind man doing that kind of stuff was pretty solid, unless you were writing a comic book or a fantasy novel. But it would explain so much if it were true. Murdock’s injuries didn’t appear by magic. Foggy was definitely nervous about the cause of those injuries too. And Foggy had a decided beef to pick with the Devil. The kind that someone would have if they’d found out their best friend and business partner were doing something as dangerous of going out at night as a vigilante.

What the hell was Mahoney supposed to do?

~ * ~

Mahoney’s eyes were beginning to blur from watching the various videos of Daredevil and his exploits. Most of them were so dark and grainy as to be useless and the few that had a decent video told him nothing more that he already knew. When a call came in about a domestic a few blocks away, he was more than happy to take it. Anything to get him away from that computer monitor. 

By the time Mahoney arrived at the scene, the wife was beating her drunken husband with a cast iron skillet and threatening to remove certain body parts if she caught him cheating again. The husband was barely conscious by the time Mahoney physically restrained the woman. He had to wait until backup and an ambulance arrived, wondering why he’d thought reviewing videos was so bad after all.

The walk back to the precinct was uneventful until Daredevil decided to drop from a building to land nearly on top on Mahoney. Okay, it was about actually about ten feet away, but it was close enough to send Mahoney’s heart racing.

“Shit, you ever hear of stairs?” Mahoney said, taking a few step backwards out of reflex. “Got to be easier on the knees that dropping from…” he glanced up, uncertain where exactly the vigilante had been before landing in front of him, “wherever the hell you came from.”

“Stairs take too long,” Daredevil replied. 

Yep, that was definitively Murdock’s voice, even if it was slightly lower and deeper.

“There’s someone you might be interested in down the alley you just passed,” Daredevil continued. “Might want to check his DNA against recent rape victims.”

That got Mahoney’s attention. “You leave enough for me to take in or do I need to call for an ambulance?”

“Might have broken his jaw,” Daredevil replied with an indifferent shrug, “ and maybe a cracked rib or two. Up to you whether he needs medical attention or not.”

Mahoney jogged towards the mouth of the alley and then drew his gun before proceeding into the shadows. The suspected rapist was lying on the ground, moaning softly. Mahoney didn’t have to turn to know that Daredevil had disappeared once again. 

So much for bringing the vigilante in. Not that Mahoney was complaining. If this did turn out the be the one who had raped that fourteen year old, he was more than happy to the opportunity had passed. 

As he waited for the ambulance to arrive (the guy definitely had a broken jaw as well as a few missing teeth), Mahoney idly noted that it near 2a.m. At least the Devil had kept his word about not going back to work until Monday.


	9. Chapter 9

Mahoney hated it when they ran. It wasn’t that he was out of shape – he could still keep up with the rookies coming out of the academy on the mile run – but running in the dark through alleys and over half collapsed fences was a whole lot different than running an open course in full daylight. The trash that built up was the worst. No telling when he’d slip on something unidentifiable and end up breaking an ankle… or worse. 

The would-be thief hit the ten-foot chain link fence at the end of the alley as Mahoney rounded the corner. Instead of trying to go over, the perp turned and looked around frantically as if trying to find another way to escape. Mahoney slowed to a walk and drew his gun. “NYPD, let me see your hands,” he shouted as he moved forward cautiously. No telling how the cornered rat was going to react.

“I ain’t done nothing,” the perp cried. “Why you chasing me?”

“Hands. Let me see your hands,” Mahoney repeated. 

To his surprise, the perp grew still and slowly raised his hands. “You making a mistake, pig,” the perp growled. 

Too late, Mahoney realized that there someone else on the opposite side of the fence. He didn’t hear the gun shot until it had already hit and he was falling.

“Finish him off,” the second perp hissed. 

“You’ve got the gun,” the first perp argued. “You do it.”

Mahoney tried to raise his head, but his vision was blurring from the pain in his chest. The chain link fence rattled and both voices drew closer. He tried to reach for his gun, but didn’t really have any idea where it had fallen.

“Told you, you were making a mistake,” the first perp said. Mahoney curled in on himself as the perp kicked him in the side. He tensed, waiting for more blows but they never came. He could hear scuffling nearby and thought the perps must have decided to run instead. He was barely holding on to consciousness though, so he wasn’t really sure what was going on.

Just before darkness claimed him, Mahoney thought he heard a low growl say, “Hang on, Sergeant. Help is coming.”

~ * ~

Mahoney woke to the smell of antiseptic and the annoying sound of beeps, hisses and murmured voices that he couldn’t quite make out.

“You finally decide to quit lollygagging around and wake up?” a stern voice said from beside his head. Mahoney didn’t need to turn to recognize his mother’s voice and to know how worried she was, despite the tone. Right, he was in the hospital. Guess she had a reason to be worried.

“Got to use up those sick days before I lose them,” Mahoney replied. At least, that’s what he intended to say. Half of it came out more as a croak than words.

“Here, the nurse said you could have some ice chips when you finally decided to quite lazing about,” Bess said. She put aside the book she’d been reading and fed Mahoney a spoonful of ice splinters. He was amazed how good that felt going down. 

“Thanks, Mom,” Mahoney said, sincerely. “Throat feels like I spent the night yelling at Ginny to do her homework.”

Bess put the cup aside and sat back down. “They were by earlier. Doctor said you’d be fine, just taking your sweet time about waking up so I sent ‘em on home.”

“What happened?” Mahoney asked. He had a vague memory of chasing a perp into an alley, but not much more.

“I got a call at 3a.m. that my son the police office had been shot by some idiot with a gun, that’s what happened,” Bess snapped. Mahoney wasn’t sure if she was mad at him or the guy that had shot him. “Was still in my curlers.” Bess motioned towards her hair which was wrapped in a head scarf. “Had to call a cab and just had time to throw something on before it got there. Didn’t even have time to put on some lipstick and you know how washed out that makes me look.”

Mahoney could see his mother blink back a few tears. It wasn’t like her to make a big deal out of her appearance, so she must be more upset than he’d realized. “Mom, I’m fine.” He raised both hands and wiggled his feet under the blanket and then tried to hide the gasp of pain that caused. “See, everything is in working order.”

Bess sniffed in indignation. “Might not be if those two idiots had a little more time to finish the job. You’re one lucky idiot.” Bess stood up and waved a finger in her son’s face. “I’m telling you this right now. Ain’t no way I’m living with your sister when I retire so you better be a little more careful when you go chasing some gangbanger down a dark alley. Don’t think I won’t drag your ass back from hell if I have to.” Bess stood up and took a deep, steadying breath.  
“I’m going to go get me a cup of coffee. You better be here when I get back.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mahoney promised. He knew she didn’t mean still in the hospital bed. He waited until she was at the entrance to the cubical before adding, “and who said you’re living with me when you retire? How am I supposed to bring home my ladies with you there?”

Bess gave a surprised laugh and turned with a genuine smile. “You marry ‘em first and we won’t have any problems.”

Mahoney hated that his job had put him in a position that ended up frightening his mother like that. He’d be making this up to her for months. Probably having to check in every hour when on shift just so she’d know he was still okay. Wouldn’t matter if she was asleep or not, the first time he forgot would be the time she’d wake up and panic because she hadn’t heard from him in over an hour.

The curtain rustled and Jamison, the rookie, stuck his head inside. “Hey, Sargent. Heard you were awake. How you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot,” Mahoney replied dryly. “What you doing here?”

Jamison shrugged. “Captain wanted someone to keep an eye out.” He looked around and then stepped inside and lowered his voice. “You know, just in case one of those gangbangers’ friends want to try something.”

“Did you get them?” Mahoney asked. He had his doubts. They’d probably run as soon as he was down. And yet… there was some memory that teased the edge of his mind. Something about an argument after he was down and a voice that said help was coming.

“Yeah, they’re under guard at General. One has a punctured lung from a broken rib and the other one’s not going to be eating solids anytime soon.” 

Mahoney frowned. “What happened?” They’d both been mobile when he’d been shot. He certainly hadn’t gotten a punch in. 

“Was hoping you could tell us,” Jamison replied. “Warner was trying to follow you but ran into a blind alley and had to backtrack. By the time he caught up, you’d been shot and the two perps who’d done it were lying on the ground, unconscious.”

“They find the gun?” Mahoney asked, mulling that over. 

“Yeah, right beside one of the perps,” Jamison confirmed. “No way he had a chance to wipe his prints, so should be an open and shut.”

“Any idea who put those two down?” Mahoney asked.

“Well, yeah, it’s kind of obvious, right?” Jamison, just a little uncertainly. “I mean, who else beats up criminals in dark alleys and leaves them for us to find? First time he’s done it to save a cop though. Good to know he doesn’t hold grudges.”

“What’s the Captain say?” Mahoney asked. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being saved by the Devil. Not that he was objecting to the being saved part, but he didn’t want to be in debt to a border line criminal. He was already struggling with the Captain’s demand that they unmask the vigilante. Didn’t need for it to be more of a struggle for his conscious than it already was.

“He’s pissed at Warner for not keeping up and at you for not making sure your backup was there before you went down that alley.” Jamison shrugged. “He hasn’t said anything about… the condition the perps were in.”

Mahoney closed his eyes and tried to relax and think. “Any video from the alley?” 

“I’m sure they’re checking on it,” Jamison said. He fidgeted nervously. “You know, they almost didn’t get you here in time. I heard you flat-lined during surgery. Your family was all here and…” he trailed off uncertainly. “Well, you know. We’re just glad you made it.”

It occurred to Mahoney that Jamison was on nights, like him. “Shouldn’t you be off duty by now? You aren’t hanging around hoping to pick up some hot nurse, are you?”

Jamison looked surprised. “You’ve been out for almost two days, Sergeant. This is my second night of standing watch.”

No wonder his mother had been so upset. “Two days, huh? Well, damn. I had a breakfast date yesterday morning with that new dispatcher from the 18th. Wonder if she’ll give me a pass for standing her up?”

Jamison chuckled slightly. “If you can’t get a pass for getting shot then I think her standards are a little too high.”

“You never know with women,” Mahoney said. He sighed and closed his eyes again. “Think I’ll get some more sleep before Mom shows up and tells me it’s time to get off my lazy ass and repaint the living room or something.”

“I think I might give you a day or two before I bring out the to-do list,” Bess said as she walked back in. She handed Jamison one of the cups of coffee she was holding. “Don’t want you falling asleep on your feet,” she told Jamison, who thanked her before giving Mahoney a nod and heading back out.

“He have anything interesting to tell you?” Bess asked.

“Just that they got the perp who shot me,” Mahoney said. He thought that his mother would find that reassuring. He should have known that she’d already be aware of that. 

“The way I heard it, you’ve got the Devil to thank for that,” Bess said. She shook her head with a rueful smile. “Used to say that you had a guardian angel watching over you. Guess I’m going to have to change that to a guardian devil now.”

“He was probably just looking for someone to beat on and saving me was just an afterthought,” Mahoney said, though he didn’t really believe that. 

“Give the Devil his due,” Bess said. “He’s always had faith in you. Might be you need to have a little in him.”

Mahoney was too tired to have this argument right now, but he would remember those words later.


	10. Chapter 10

“Get up, Lazy-bones.”

Mahoney groaned slightly as someone insistently prodded his foot.

“Grandma says to get dressed. She called a cab and wants you ready to go in ten minutes,” the voice insisted, poking a little harder.

Mahoney cracked open one and jerked his foot out of the way before Ginny could stab him again. “What are you talking about? My doctor’s appointment isn’t for two days.” Mahoney would rather have had his evenings to himself, but his mother insisted that someone stay with him until he was ‘back on his feet’. He wasn’t sure what a 12-year-old could do if something did happen, but he was just glad he wasn’t being smothered by his mother 24-7.

“She says she has to go down to the 15th and you have to go with her,” Ginny replied. She seemed disappointed that she didn’t get to keep poking him.

That woke Mahoney up. “Did something happen? Is Mom okay?” He glanced at the clock – it was just after 9:00P.M. His mom had brought dinner by earlier and couldn’t have been gone that long. He must have fallen asleep during one of Ginny’s overly-hormonal teen shows.

Ginny shrugged. “She just called and said she’d be here in ten minutes and you’d better be ready to go.” 

Which meant his mother wasn’t already in jail or injured in some way. 

Mahoney pushed himself upright, rubbing his chest slightly. “That all she say?”

Ginny shrugged again. “That’s all she told me.” She had the typical disinterest of a pre-teen who was convinced that the adults in her life were the most uninteresting people in the world. 

“Probably some friend’s son got arrested for something and she wants me to run interference,” Mahoney grumbled. At least she was calling a cab and didn’t expect him to walk to the subway. 

Mahoney was just tying his second shoe when Bess breezed into the apartment. 

“Good, you’re ready. The cab is waiting outside,” Bess said. She raised a hand and pointed a finger in Ginny’s direction. “You go over to Mrs. McCarthy’s until your mother comes to get you.”

Ginny opened her mouth to whine that she wasn’t a baby (an argument that Mahoney had heard more times than he could count), but Bess wasn’t in the mood to indulge her grand-daughter’s pique today. “If you have time to argue, then I have time to see exactly what you’ve been doing on the computer while your uncle’s been sleeping.”

Ginny’s mouth snapped shut. She looked rebellious, but didn’t argue. “At least Mrs. McCarthy lets me watch what I want on TV.”

“Fine, fill your head with trash,” Bess said. “Get used to saying, ‘and do you want fries with that?’”

Ginny stomped out of the apartment, but she didn’t slam the door. Nobody slammed a door in Bess Mahoney’s presence. 

“Who’s got arrested now, Mom?” Mahoney asked as he stood and walked over to the closet for a jacket. He noticed for the first time that his mother wasn’t wearing her usual flowered housedress. “What’s with the black outfit? You planning on some cat-burglary? I am not bailing you out of jail.”

“Black is slimming,” Bess said. “All the women’s magazines say so.”

The black pantsuit was a trifle snug in places, but Mahoney knew better than to say anything along those lines. “If you’re planning on flirting with the desk sergeant at the 15th, you can do that without me.”

Bess motioned towards the door. “Cab meter is running. Get a move on.”

Mahoney tried in vain to get his mother to tell him what was going on, but she spent most of the ride making phone calls and talking to her cronies in some cryptic shorthand that he had no hopes of understanding. He idly pictured his mother as a spy. She had the perfect cover and no one would ever suspect. She was certainly crafty enough for one and always seemed to know exactly what was going on in Hell’s Kitchen. Whatever this was about, she’d tell him when she was ready.

As soon as the cab pulled up at the precinct, Bess motioned for her son to exit the cab, but didn’t follow. “You go help Foggy. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Foggy? What’s Foggy done now?” Mahoney asked, but the cab was already pulling away. He stared for a moment as the cab disappeared into traffic and then shook his head in resignation. “’Help Foggy’, she says. What does she think I’m supposed to do? He’s the fricking lawyer. He can help himself.”

Mahoney was still muttering to himself as he walked inside. There wasn’t much going on at the moment so Mahoney walked up to the desk sergeant, Gaffney, to find out what the deal with Foggy was. 

“Mahoney, didn’t you got shot or something?” Gaffney asked, barely looking up from the paper he was writing on. “Thought you’d still be riding an armchair instead of hanging out in this place.”

“My mother is running some errands in the area,” Mahoney replied. “Thought I’d drop by, see the place was still standing without me here.”

Gaffney snorted. “Only so much Netflix a man can endure, huh?” 

“Ain’t that the truth,” Mahoney replied. “Anything interesting going on.” 

Gaffney scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Kind of slow tonight, though they did bring that defense attorney in for questioning. You know, the one that handled Hoffman’s case? Hanson thinks he knows something about Daredevil.”

“The talkative one or the blind one?” Mahoney asked, though if his mother was right (and when wasn’t she), it had to be Foggy.

Gaffney chuckled. “Talkative one. I’ve never known anyone that could talk so much and not actually say anything. Must learn that in law school.”

Mahoney had to smile; that was Foggy, all right. “Hanson charge him with anything or is he just fishing?” Mahoney asked. 

“Hasn’t booked him yet,” Gaffney said. “He did send a black and white out looking for his blind partner, though. Don’t know how that’s supposed to help. Ain’t like the guy can id Daredevil even if he had met him.”

Mahoney just shrugged. Hanson was a climber and bringing in Daredevil would be just the kind of flashing case he’d be drawn to. He was smart though and wouldn’t have brought Foggy in unless he had something concrete. “Maybe he just wants to play one off the other,” he replied absently. Did Hanson suspect that Murdock was Daredevil? No, if he had, he would have brought Murdock in first instead of tipping him off by bringing Foggy in. What did Hanson have? Wouldn’t do any good to ask Gaffney and look like he was too interested in the case. 

“I don’t suppose the coffee has gotten any better since I’ve been out,” Mahoney asked. It would at least give him an excuse for hanging around a little longer. Maybe chat up a few other’s.

Gaffney snorted in disgust. “You want to risk getting dragged back in the hospital, help yourself.” 

Mahoney was talking with a couple of fellow officers in the break room (and learning zip about Foggy) when Hanson stormed in and poured himself a cup of coffee. With the sense of self-preservation that uniformed officers have around a detective having a bad day, the other officers made excuses and left. Normally, he would have made himself scarce as well, but if he returned home without finding out what was going on, he’d have to deal with his mother. Nothing was more scary than that.

“Interrogation not going well?” Mahoney asked as Hanson downed half a cup in one gulp. Foggy often had that effect on Mahoney as well.

“I hate talking to lawyers,” Hanson replied. He down the rest of the coffee in his cup and refilled it. “It’s like talking to someone who sounds like they’re speaking English, but you can’t really understand what they’re going on about.”

“Ah, I heard that Nelson had been brought in. My deepest sympathies,” Mahoney said. “We grew up in the same neighborhood and he’s always been a fast talker. I think law school only made it worse.”

Hanson looked at Mahoney for the first time and frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to be on disability?”

“Just in the neighborhood and thought I’d see who was around,” Mahoney replied. “A man can only watch so much TV without his brain turning to mush.”

Hanson snorted and took a small sip from his cup instead of gulping. “So, you know Nelson? You friends?”

Mahoney shrugged. “Have nothing against the guy, other than his choice of profession, but we don’t hang out or anything.” Other than that time Mahoney was pumping Foggy for information on Daredevil or delivering food from his mother, but those didn’t really count.

“You think he’d talk to you? Friendly face and all that?” Hanson asked.

“Talk to me about what?” Mahoney asked.

Hanson walked over and took a seat across from Mahoney. “About his relationship with the vigilante, Daredevil.”

“You think he knows something about Daredevil?” Mahoney asked, patting himself on the back for how he’d maneuvered Hanson into reveling what he wanted to know.

“We have a video of Nelson talking to Daredevil in an alley behind this dive bar,” Hanson said, leaning forward slightly and lowering his voice. “No audio, but we had a lip reader analyze it and what she picked up was, well, it wasn’t just a chance meeting.”

“Nelson’s working with the vigilante?” Mahoney asked. Of course, he literally was working with the vigilante since they had a law firm together. Mahoney wasn’t ready to share that suspicion with anyone else yet though.

“Yeah, though I’m not sure it’s voluntarily,” Hanson said. “If I’m reading the situation right, the Devil has Nelson running scared. Too scared to talk to us.”

Mahoney was becoming more and more curious about Hanson’s theory. “If I’m going to talk to Nelson, I need to know what you’ve got.”

Hanson let out a relieved puff of air and stood up. “Come on, I’ll show you the video and fill you in.”

Hanson led Mahoney to a small room with a computer and a couple of chairs. He closed the door behind them and motioned for Mahoney to take a seat. “With you out, the Captain asked me to take over your investigation into Daredevil. Jamison showed me the videos you’d collected so far. Most of what we’ve gotten since is more of the same. A lot of dark alley shots that don’t show much of anything except the Devil climbing walls like he’s a damn spider. I’m guessing he knows where the cameras are and knows to avoid them when he’s beating the hell out of someone.”

“Probably learned his lesson when that video of him taking out half a dozen cops become the top news story,” Mahoney said dryly. He briefly wondered how a blind guy would know where the cameras were. Did they make some sort of sound that he could pick up on? 

Hanson fiddled with the computer for a moment before pulling up a video.

“This one is a little different.” Hanson said as he started the video playing. Foggy was pacing up and down a dark alley while waving his arms around as if he were talking to someone. “There’s about a full minute of him doing nothing but this. Looks like he’s agitated about something.”

“Anyone else in the video?” Mahoney asked. He couldn’t see how Foggy talking to himself was all that interesting.

“Not at first.” Hanson fast forwarded the video for a few seconds. “Here is where it starts to get interesting.”

Foggy was walking towards the camera with his head down, waving his arms about when a dark blur dropped in behind him. Mahoney couldn’t make out what it was at first, but a second later the blur stood up and Daredevil advanced a few steps towards Foggy, who turned abruptly.

Hanson pulled out a piece of paper. “The lip reader couldn’t see Nelson’s face well enough to pick up what he’s been saying, but she got a clear read on Daredevil. He says, ‘What’s so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”

Mahoney felt a chill. That was enough to implicate Foggy in collusion. These two were idiots.

The video continued with Foggy waving his hands while talking about something. Daredevil did nothing more than shake his head for several long minutes.

“Be nice if we could hear what Nelson’s saying, but it doesn’t look like Daredevil is in agreement with whatever it is,” Hanson said while Foggy continued to rant in the video. “I’ll have to admit, the lawyer’s got balls. The Devil doesn’t look happy at all with what he’s saying, but he just keeps talking.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Foggy,” Mahoney replied dryly. The idiot never did know when to shut up, not that he actually had anything to worry about if Murdock was Daredevil. 

“Nelson finally seems to run out of steam and Daredevil shakes his head and says, ‘It’s not enough. You know what I have to do.’”

“You can see Daredevil jump for the fire escape and Nelson turns just enough that we can make out what he’s saying. ‘Yeah, because beating people up is so much more effective’,” Hanson continued. “We can’t see Daredevil’s response, but he must have said something since Nelson pauses. Then Nelson says, ‘Sue me if I don’t want to have to watch my partner limp around the office tomorrow. You don’t have to do this. Give us more time to dig. We’ll find something we can use… legally use.’ “ 

“How old is this video?” Mahoney asked with a frown. 

“Came in this morning,” Hanson said. “Took a while to get someone to translate what they were saying. As soon as we did, I sent uniforms out to bring in Nelson and Murdock. Nelson was at his apartment, but so far we haven’t been able to find Murdock. Nelson says if Murdock’s not at his apartment, he’s probably with one of his ladies, but won’t give us a name. Says he doesn’t keep up with his partner’s one-offs.”

“You think Murdock knows something?” Mahoney asked. He suspected that Daredevil was out doing his rounds. No way Hanson’s men were going to find Murdock.

“I think this vigilante is a violent man and Murdock could be in danger,” Hanson replied. “If Daredevil heard that we brought Nelson in, he may have taken Murdock as insurance that Nelson doesn’t say anything.”

“You think Daredevil is forcing Nelson to help him,” Mahoney replied. Hanson had said that he wasn’t sure Foggy was helping voluntarily. It was made a twisted sort of sense, but Mahoney was still convinced that his theory was the correct one. 

“You remember Ben Urich, the reporter?” Hanson asked. “Most think that Fisk had him killed because he knew too much.”

“You don’t, though,” Mahoney said. He had a sinking suspicion that could see where this was going.

“Urich was one hell of a reporter, even if he was a royal pain in the ass when you were investigating a case,” Hanson said. “He was working with the Devil. What if he learned a little too much about our man in the mask? You think Daredevil’s going to let someone out him in the press?”

“No way to prove it,” Mahoney said. “Whatever Urich was working on is gone.”

“True, but you know who else was working on the Fisk case with Urich? Nelson and Murdock,” Hanson said. “What if Urich said something to the lawyers before he was killed? Maybe not enough for them to take it to the police, but enough for the Devil to be a concerned.”

Hanson pulled some pictures out of a file and slid them across the table. Mahoney picked them up with a frown. They showed close-up shots of a man’s torso. There were a several red scars on the man’s shoulders, chest and stomach; knife wounds from the look of them. The next picture showed more knife wounds on the man’s arms; almost as if he’d held up his arms to protect himself and his forearms had been sliced. The next picture was of a long scar on the man’s back and the last was of scar on his leg. All the pictures showed small abrasions and bruises.

“You’ve seen these before,” Hanson stated more than asked.

Mahoney hadn’t, but knew without asking who the wounds belonged to. “Pictures, no, but had them described to me. How’d you get them?”

“Jamison had several videos where it was obvious the Devil was injured. I started asking around the hospitals to see if anyone matching his description had come in,” Hanson said. “I told them I was picking up where you left off and I guess the director at Metro- General thought I was looking into Murdock’s case.” Hanson tapped the pictures. “You didn’t file anything on this.” he said in a neutral tone.

“Figured Social was filing an official report,” Mahoney said. “Director thought he might talk to me since we had some passing familiarity. Murdock basically told me to mind my own business, so I left it at that.” 

“There aren’t any police reports of a muggy or assault. How do you think a blind lawyer gets wounds like this?” Hanson asked.

Mahoney could see where this was going. “You think Daredevil did this. Why? To keep the lawyers from talking about what they may or may not know?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Hanson said. He looked pleased that Mahoney had followed his logic. “Daredevil has Nelson looking into something and didn’t seem too happy that Nelson didn’t get what he wanted.”

“Nelson isn’t the type to just let some two-bit thug blackmail him into doing something illegal,” Mahoney said.

“Maybe not if it was just him, but think about what he said in the video. Nelson doesn’t come through and Daredevil goes after his partner. Murdock doesn’t have a hope of standing up against someone like that,” Hanson said.

“And now Murdock’s MIA,” Mahoney replied. He scrubbed a hand over his face. Should he tell his theory to Hanson? What if he was wrong and Murdock was in real danger? “Let me talk to Nelson. I want ears off though. He’d not going to say anything if he thinks you’re listening.”

Hanson nodded, looking relieved. He probably had fears of a disabled lawyer’s death being dropped on his head. “Whatever it takes.” 

~ * ~

“Hey, Buddy. Don’t tell me you’re back at work already.” Foggy looked tired, but managed a smile as Mahoney took a seat across the table from him.

“Just visiting and heard you were talking circles around the Detective Hanson,” Mahoney said. “Thought I’d see if you need anything while he’s recaffeinating.”

“A ‘get out of jail free’ card would be good,” Foggy replied, “ or a sandwich. They interrupted my dinner to haul me in here.”

Figures they would treat a potential victim like a suspect instead. “Might can scrounge up something edible. Hang on.” Mahoney went to the door, flagged down the first uniform he saw and asked for some food to be sent in. He didn’t specify for who, so he stood a chance that they thought it was for him and might send in something descent.

“Thanks, Buddy. I think I’ve lost a dress size just sitting here,” Foggy said.

“I’ll tell Bess you’re wasting away. Maybe she’ll come mother-hen you for a while and leave me alone,” Mahoney replied.

Foggy’s grin was genuine this time. “I always knew that enemies talk was just a front.”

Mahoney shook his head with a sigh of resignation. Nothing kept Foggy down for long. Might as well get to why he was here before Hanson got itchy feet. “I watched that video they have of you and Daredevil, Foggy. You want to explain?”

Foggy shrugged. “So I talked to Daredevil. That’s hardly a crime. Last I heard, there weren’t any warrants out for him.”

“Hanson thinks Daredevil’s coercing you into providing him with information. He also thinks that if Daredevil finds out you’re here, he’ll go after Murdock to keep you quiet.” Might as well lay all the cards on the table. He knew better than to try to play word games with Foggy. That never ended well.

“Hanson is an idiot. I told him that Daredevil had never threatened me or anyone else at Nelson and Murdock. Matt’s probably just found some hot babe to spend the night with,” Foggy said. He sat back with his arms crossed over his chest and his jaw set. Mahoney had no doubt that he meant every word.

“You know they had a lip-reader transcribe what you and Daredevil said in that video. You sure you want to stick to that story?” Mahoney asked. 

“Taken out of context, that conversation could mean anything,” Foggy said. “Hanson’s fishing and we both know it. If he wants Daredevil, he’s going to have to come up with something better than the far-fetched theory that Daredevil beat Matt up to keep us from telling the police who he was.”

Mahoney wasn’t sure if he was relieved that Murdock wasn’t in danger from Daredevil or concerned that he most likely was Daredevil. He wanted to just ask Foggy for the truth, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. As long as it was just a theory – and a far-fetched one at that – he felt reasonably secure in keeping it to himself. As soon as it moved from theory to fact, though… Well, Mahoney was struggling with his conscious enough as it was.

The door opened and Jamison walked in with a sandwich, a bag of chips and a couple of soft drinks. He set them on the table and then motioned for Mahoney to step outside the room.

“What’s up?” Mahoney asked as they closed the door to the interrogation room, leaving Foggy to his ‘feast’.

Jamison looked around nervously and then spoke in a soft tone. “I thought you’d want to know – Daredevil just turned himself in.”


	11. Chapter 11

Mahoney stared at the front desk, not sure what he was seeing. There were three men in black arguing with the desk Sergeant. “Which one of them claims he’s Daredevil?” Mahoney asked. He glanced over at Jamison who appeared to be flummoxed.

“There was only one of them when I came by with the sandwich,” Jamison said. He scratched his head. “I’m not sure which one it was, to be honest. They’re all about the right height, weight and coloring.”

“It’s not any of them,” Taylor said as she joined them. “Close, but no cigar.”

“How can you tell?” Jamison asked. “It’s not like anyone has ever seen Daredevil’s face.”

“Honey, it’s not their faces I’m looking at,” Taylor said with a smirk. 

Mahoney winced, but had to agree. All three men were seriously deficient in certain portions of their anatomy, judging from the rear view that the three officers had. Not that Mahoney was going to mention that he’d noticed that fact as well. 

“What are you talking about?” Jamison asked. 

“Let’s just say that those tight pants don’t leave a lot to the imagination,” Taylor replied. “You need to be more observant, Rookie.”

Jamison’s face flamed red as Taylor’s meaning sunk in. He was saved from replying as two more men in black walked in and joined the group at the counter. 

“Did someone organize a Daredevil convention and not tell us?” Cooper asked as he walked over with a nod to his fellow officers. “I think I have a black and red shirt at home. Think I could pass as Daredevil?” 

“Not on your best day,” Taylor said.

“Why are they doing this?” Jamison asked. “It’s not like we even have a warrant for the real Daredevil. Nobody’s been willing to press charges.”

None of them offered an answer for that question.

“Gaffney looks like he could use some help,” Cooper commented. Nobody moved towards the desk.

There had been a steady trickle of ‘Daredevil’ in various costumes entering the precinct while the officers talked. Some were bordering on the ridiculous. Mahoney had no idea what was behind the sudden influx of Daredevil wanna-bes, but he had a suspicion as to who was behind it. 

“A pointed tail? Really?” Cooper complained. “Be a little difficult to beat someone up with that thing flapping around.”

“I kind of like the pitchfork,” Taylor said in amusement. “It really make a statement. Maybe the real Daredevil should consider carrying one. Something metal instead of that cheap plastic though.”

“Do you think any of them actually are Daredevil?” Jamison asked. None of the so-called Daredevils wore a mask and Mahoney didn’t see Murdock among the crowd.

“The only one that has anywhere near the right body type is blond,” Taylor replied. She pointed with her chin. “That one has the right ass, but he looks like a body builder. Our Devil is well-build, but isn’t that muscle-bound.”

A couple of girls walked in, also wearing black and red. One had shiny red horns and a sequined red shirt on.

“Daredevil doesn’t sparkle,” Jamison said with an affronted frown.

“And that’s the only problem with the five foot nothing female trying to pass herself off as our Devil,” Taylor said, rolling her eyes.

Mahoney smothered a grin at Jamison’s discomfited expression. He did wonder when the vigilante had become ‘our Devil’ though. Maybe not all the police department were as against the Devil as Mahoney had thought.

Marks, another rookie that had come up from the academy with Jamison, strode into the precinct but came to an abrupt halt when his path was blocked by the two dozen or so Daredevil’s. He looked around and, seeing Mahoney and his group standing off to the side, walked over to them. “Have you guys been outside? There’s like three times this many marching up and down the sidewalk carrying signs.”

“Signs?” Cooper asked. “What kind of signs?”

“The most common one seems to be ‘We Are Daredevil’,” Marks replied. “There are some others that say ‘Free Foggy’ and ‘The Defense for Nelson’. Anyone know who Foggy or Nelson are?”

“Foggy Nelson is Daredevil’s attorney,” Jamison replied. “Hanson has him in interrogation.” 

“Daredevil’s attorney, huh?” Taylor commented. “Wonder if he knows who the vigilante really is?”

“You just want to know if he’s single,” Cooper said.

“My mother keeps asking when I’m going to settle down and get married,” Taylor replied. “That would shut her up.”

“I doubt Mr. Nelson knows who Daredevil really is,” Jamison said. “Even with attorney-client privilege, it would be too dangerous.” 

“Probably meets with the mask still on,” Cooper said. When the others gave him questioning looks, he shrugged. “It’s what I would do if I were a vigilante.”

Taylor gave him a speculative look.

“If I catch you staring at my ass, I’m tossing all that fancy coffee you like in the trash,” Cooper said with a sidelong glance at Taylor, who quickly brought her eyes up and forward.

“I think I’ll walk out and see what’s going on outside,” Mahoney said before he was forced to listen any more of the two partners’ notorious bickering. 

Once outside, Mahoney sat on the stone rail that ran around the top of the precinct stairs and watched the ‘demonstrators’. So far, it looked like they were following all the rules; none of the building entrances were blocked, sidewalk was at least half-clear, they were reasonable quiet and not harassing anyone. They seemed to be alternating between chanting ‘We are Daredevil’ and ‘Free Foggy’. The signs that were being handed out as more of the citizens of Hell’s Kitchen joined the crowd all seemed to reflect one or the other sentiment in some fashion.

And, of course, Bess Mahoney and Karen Page were at the center of it all, handing out signs and directing people on where to stand. Mahoney didn’t know how his mother and Foggy’s secretary even knew each other. It was kind of a scary thought what havoc those two might manage together.

Karen suddenly broke from her spot with the signs and jogged down the sidewalk. Mahoney had to admit, at least to himself, that she looked rather fetching in her black and red outfit (no sparkles). It took just a moment for Mahoney to realize that Murdock was walking rather slowly along the line of demonstrators, his white cane swinging gently from side to side as if trying to avoid hitting anyone. He looked perplexed as Karen reached him and gently started guiding him down the sidewalk while talking a mile a minute.

“Sergeant Mahoney,” Karen called out with a smile as she and Murdock reached the bottom of the stairs. “Do you think you could help Matt? He’s here as Foggy’s legal counsel.”

Well, that was a conflict of interest if Mahoney ever heard of one; Daredevil representing the man who could possibly identify him. If it got this crowd off the sidewalk before tensions built up though, Mahoney was all for it. “Sure, know just who to talk to.”

He waited for Murdock to climb the steps and then pushed the door open. “Hell of a night, isn’t it?” Mahoney commented as they walked inside.

Murdock still had that slightly confused look on his face. “Karen said they brought Foggy in for questioning. Any idea what about?”

The precinct was just as crowded as when Mahoney had walked outside. At least they had stopped sending more ‘Daredevils’ inside. Mahoney looked around for Hanson, but didn’t see him. “I’ll take you back to where Foggy is. He was having a snack last time I saw him.”

Murdock seemed to relax a little. “He’s okay, then?”

“Driving Detective Hanson up a wall with all his lawyer talk,” Mahoney said. “He didn’t seem to concerned about all this when I talked to him.”

“Good, good,” Murdock murmured, almost to himself and then frowned. “Shouldn’t you still be on disability leave, Sergeant? It hasn’t even been a week since you were shot, has it?”

“Apparently my mother is one of the ring-leaders of the ‘Free Foggy’ movement,” Mahoney growled. “She dragged me here and told me, in no uncertain terms, to ‘help Foggy’.”

Murdock’s lips twitched in an almost-smile. “Foggy will love that – the ‘Free Foggy’ movement,” he said.

They reached the door to the interrogation room and Mahoney stopped. “Tell him not the ham it up too much when they let him out of here,” he said. “A little humility never hurt anyone.”

“This is Foggy we’re talking about,” Murdock replied as Mahoney opened the door. He cocked his head as he listened to the voices that came to a stumbling halt as those inside recognized the interruption. Mahoney recognized Hanson’s and Jamison’s voices. Hanson sounded stressed while Jamison, the rookie, appeared to be trying to keep the peace. Foggy was, well, he was just Foggy.

“Hey, Buddy,” Foggy called out as Murdock walked in. “I hear the black and whites have been out looking for you. You been hiding out at with one of your ladies?”

Mahoney didn’t stick around to listen to the rest of the conversation. As he strolled back towards the front desk, he could hear the Captain’s strident voice before he could see him. He had apparently had enough of the pseudo-Daredevils and was telling them in no uncertain terms that they could either leave or spend the rest of the night in a jail cell. By the time Mahoney turned the corner and could see the front desk, the Daredevils were trickling back out the entrance. He suspected they’d be put to work on the demonstration line, but as long those outside remained peaceful, it wasn’t his concern. He wasn’t on duty and there was no way he’d dissuade his mother from her path of righteous indignation, so he planned to just sit back and enjoy the show.

“Mahoney, what are you doing here?” the Captain said as the room cleared enough for him to notice Mahoney, who was sitting in one of the rather uncomfortable benches in the waiting area. “Don’t tell me that you’re claiming to be Daredevil, too?”

“Not me, Captain,” Mahoney said, raising his hands in a protest of innocence. “Just visiting when all this started.”

The Captain snorted, but had more important things to worry about than an off-duty officer hanging around. “Where’s Hanson? He’s the reason all the idiots are here in the first place.”

Gaffney shrugged. “He was here a little while ago. Hard to keep track of people in all that madness though.”

“He’s in interrogation three with Nelson and Murdock,” Mahoney said casually. “Murdock is here as Nelson’s legal counsel.”

“Just what we need,” the Captain growled. “If we get sued over this shit, Hanson is going to be walking the beat in a uniform before the ink is dry on the papers.”

Mahoney refrained from comment as the Captain sent an officer to get Hanson. A few minutes later, the Captain and Hanson disappeared into the Captain’s office. The slamming office door showed just how irritated the Captain was.

Gaffney and Mahoney exchanged raised eyebrows, but didn’t comment. Mahoney decided to see how the demonstration was going. He doubted that it would get out-of-hand with his mother in charge, but better safe than sorry.

As he suspected, the former Daredevil claimants were mingled into the line of demonstrators, who were now on both sides of the street. They seemed to have expanded their chanting litany to at least half a dozen phrases. One side of the street would call out one and the other side would answer. It was almost like a high school football game.

Mahoney recognized quite a few people that he and Foggy went to school with. He had no doubt that while there were some who had no idea who Foggy Nelson was, the majority had at least a passing knowledge of the gregarious attorney. He wondered if the support was more for Foggy or the vigilante who’d had such an impact on Hell’s Kitchen’s citizens. 

Mahoney was still mulling over the rather amazing show of support (in the middle of the night, no less) when the precinct doors opened and Foggy walked out with Murdock in tow. The crowd immediately started cheering. 

Foggy appeared flummoxed by the crowd that was gathered in his honor. For once he appeared to be speechless. Mahoney wished he had a cell phone out so he could get a picture of that historic moment, but he wasn’t that quick. 

Foggy’s surprise didn’t last long though. He grinned brightly and stepped into the crowd to start thanking everyone who’d shown up.

Mahoney found himself alone with Murdock at the top of the stairs. “Don’t feel like braving the crowd, Murdock?”

Murdock cocked an ear in Mahoney’s direction. “Let Foggy have his moment,” he said. He hesitated a moment as if uncertain if he wanted to say more. “Thanks for taking care of him in there,” he finally said.

Foggy seemed determined to thank every single person that had shown up to support him and Daredevil. They might be here a while.

“He’s not so bad, for a defense attorney,” Mahoney said grudgingly. He gave Murdock a thoughtful look. “You know, they’re here just as much for Daredevil as for Foggy.”

Murdock frowned slightly. “I wouldn’t think they’d care what happens to someone who regularly beats people up and leaves them laying in alleys half-conscious.”

“They know he’s doing it to protect them,” Mahoney said. 

“Don’t tell me that you’re a Daredevil fan,” Murdock said with a hint of a smirk.

“Don’t get me wrong, don’t agree with his methods, but…” Mahoney paused as he mulled over his words, “I don’t think there’s a cop alive who hasn’t wanted to do the same at some time or other. We can’t cross that line though.”

“But he can do what you can’t,” Murdock said quietly.

Mahoney shrugged though he realized belatedly that Murdock couldn’t see it. “He’s walking a thin line though. One day. he’s going to step over and we aren’t going to be able to ignore it.” 

“Perhaps knowing that there are good cops out there who won’t hesitate to do to right thing will keep him from crossing that line,” Murdock said.

Mahoney rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe you can give me a few boxing pointers, just in case. Would hate to have my ass handed to me again.”

“You know where to find me, Sergeant. Stop by any time,” Murdock said with a small smile.

Maybe it didn’t matter if Mahoney knew beyond a shadow of doubt who Daredevil was. Maybe it was better if he didn’t. What he couldn’t prove, he didn’t have to report.

But he couldn’t quite let it go.

Murdock had started down the stairs when Mahoney called out after him. “Hey, Murdock. You’re a lawyer. You know what plausible deniability means, right?”

Murdock stopped and half-turned towards Mahoney, his mouth quirked fully in that familiar Daredevil smirk. “I know exactly what it means, Sergeant.” His tone indicated that he understood what Mahoney wasn’t saying.

“Good. Glad we understand each other,” Mahoney said.

“That we do,” Murdock said. He started to turn back but then paused. “Text me when you want those pointers, Sergeant. If the Devil steps over that line, someone has to be able to bring him in.”

Mahoney wondered if Fate had some twisted sense of justice that would lead him to learn how to fight from the Devil himself. Maybe it was just the universe trying to maintain balance.

Whatever it was, Murdock was right. If the Devil ever stepped over that line, Mahoney would be there to do the right thing.


End file.
